Ducks are among the numerous species of waterfowl, they have an extensive habitat and are found in all corners of the planet. This feathered bird was domesticated about 3000 years ago, after which they began to grow it for meat, fluff and eggs. A bright decorative representative of the family is the red duck, the value of which lies not only in its interesting plumage.
Features of the view
Ogar (red duck) is a waterfowl of the duck family. Since ancient times, many peoples considered it a sacred representative of the fauna. The red duck is quite large, it has long legs, and the weight reaches 1600 grams. Her appearance has some similarities with a goose. This similarity becomes especially noticeable during the flight. The length of an adult representative reaches 0,7 meters, while the wingspan is 1,45 meters.
This beautiful duck can swim remarkably, as well as dive, run and fly. The feathers of the cinder are colored red, which can change its shade. In spring, the bird has a dark, almost chocolate color, during the summer the feathers burn out and become red with a reddish tint. The coloration is the same throughout the body, only on the head it is slightly lighter.
The wings, tail and rump are painted black with a green tint.
Cover feathers have bilateral white spots. The color of the paws and beak of the duck representative is black. Distinctive features of the feathered representative can also be called a long elongated neck and a proud posture.
The voice of the ogary is also unusual, which is characterized by loudness, sharpness, which is perfectly remembered by others. The sound that the red duck makes is reminiscent of the neighing of donkeys.
In the female, the sound of the voice is louder and sharper.
Habitat
The roots of the origin of the red duck are in the European steppes, as well as African deserts. The area of her residence is characterized by versatility. It can be found in the following regions:
- steppes of Manchuria, Greece;
- provinces of China;
- northwest Africa (Ethiopia and Morocco);
- Europe – the north of the Aegean Sea, the Black Sea, the Romanian and Bulgarian coasts;
- the central part of Asia – Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan;
- Ukraine – the banks of the Dnieper, Orel and Konka rivers;
- Crimean peninsula;
- practically the entire territory of the Russian Federation (the regions of the Volga, the Urals, the Baikal and Atlantic coasts).
Most birds live in Asia, with the exception of the Middle East. Birds migrate to Kyrgyzstan, the Himalayas, India, as well as to Taiwan and east China.
The red duck prefers to settle in the mountains, steppes, fields, plains, and forests.
Character and habits
This cute bird is not friendly, rather, on the contrary, it is quarrelsome, quick-tempered, unsociable and very cautious, but it can get used to a person. Most likely, the reason that the birds do not form numerous flocks is the bad nature of these birds. Ogars live in groups of several pairs. The largest number of individuals in a flock is 8.
In autumn, before heading to warmer climes, red ducks gather in flocks of 40-60 representatives.
Feathers have a negative attitude towards individuals of a different species. The duck is able to aggressively defend its territory from both relatives and other waterfowl.
Food
The red duck is an omnivore that has the ability to find food on land and in water. The bird loves to eat seeds, young green shoots, cereals. Ogar also often feeds on insects in the form of locusts, filly. In a pond, a bird easily obtains mollusks, small fish, frogs or crustaceans for itself.
When the summer season ends, the duck can find and eat the seeds in the fields that are sown for the winter.
A feature of the duck is that it gets its own food at dusk and at night, and during the day it usually sleeps on one leg.
Nesting and reproduction
In the 2nd year of life, the red duck begins puberty. During this period, the ogari begin to nest and hatch chicks. This representative of birds is considered monogamous, their pairs are created for many years. However, in the event of the death of one of the partners, the second finds a new soul mate.
The formation of pairs is carried out in the first days of nesting or wintering.
In this breed, the choice of the second half falls on the shoulders of the female. To attract the attention of a male, females line up in round dances and show all their talents. The male at this time is absolutely inactive, he can stand on one limb and watch the event taking place, or follow the female with his head down. After the pair is formed, both ducks take off and circle in a dance.
The mating season starts in March and ends in May.
When the mating procedure is completed, the birds begin to build nests. Under natural conditions, ducks can settle in a badger or fox hole, as well as settle in a stone crevice or coastal washout. Ogary have their nests at a height of ten meters from ground level, and sometimes even higher.
45 days before laying eggs, the female is engaged in lining the nest with grass and white fluff.
The clutch usually consists of 7-12 eggs, the shell of which is colored white or cream. The female can lay only one egg per day, she also incubates the offspring. During the month, the duck sits in the nest, not leaving, while the drake guards her peace. Males at this time are quite bold, aggressive and quickly react to danger in relation to their soulmate and future chicks.
The ducklings hatch almost simultaneously. The chick is very light, so it lands on the ground from the nest without injury. As soon as the babies are born, they immediately go to the reservoir with their parents. At first, the brood is constantly near the mother and spends a lot of time in the pond.
The reason for landfall for red ducks with ducklings is sleep.
The female and male take care of the chicks equally. After two months, babies can already fly, so without parental care they can enter into an independent life.
Breeding at home
The red duck perfectly adapts to the conditions of keeping in the household. If you take a bird at an early age, then it will be able to quickly get used to the person and his care. Ogar is an unpretentious representative of the fauna, but in captivity it will take root only with the right content.
To avoid aggression when incubating chicks, it is worth allocating a certain area for the scorched chicks.
The conditions for keeping a red duck in captivity differ little from the conditions for keeping other birds:
- in the summer in the barn it is worth equipping a grass bed on which the birds could spend the night;
- for walking birds, it is necessary to provide for the presence of a pool or bath;
- in winter, birds should be kept in a warm room with high-quality bedding and mandatory access to fresh water.
Thanks to the instinct of incubation, even at home, almost 100% of the chicks survive in the red duck.
For growing large females weighing up to 4 kg and males weighing up to 6.5 kg, it is worth feeding the birds abundantly. In the diet of birds, bran, grain and human food waste should be present.
Nutrition has a direct impact on the quality of duck meat.
The diet should also include grass, worms, small insects, feed, mineral and vitamin supplements. In winter, it is better for birds to eat wheat, oats, legumes, peas, and corn. You can also pamper the birds with finely chopped carrots, cabbage, beets, potatoes.
At home, the red duck lives for at least 20 years. The life expectancy of a wild rudder is two times shorter.
Productivity
Often, a red duck is grown on its own farm for decorative purposes. A bird with bright and beautiful plumage is sure to become a decoration of the yard. However, this breed is valued not only for its aesthetic appeal. The feather and down of the cinder are considered quite valuable products, as they are used in many sectors of the economy.
For example, duck down is characterized by lightness and excellent thermal insulation.
An individual kept at home has a significant difference in body weight compared to a wild representative. Ducks living in the wild weigh much less. This breed belongs to the meat, as the birds are large and are characterized by rapid weight gain. In the summer, when the shelduck eats a lot of grass, and its diet is highly balanced, feathered meat is characterized by particular juiciness and unique tenderness.
Red duck meat cannot be called completely dietary, as it contains a lot of calories.
People who suffer from anemia or malnutrition are advised to eat duck, as it contains a large amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids. Female shelducks are often used as laying hens, as they can produce up to 120 eggs per year if properly managed.
The red duck, which lives in natural conditions, needs protection. In some Russian regions, this representative of birds is listed in the Red Book.
In order to increase the population of the shelduck, the bird is grown in reserves with the most comfortable conditions for the life of these birds.
Many farms sell red ducks, but adults are quite expensive. Ogar is considered one of the most beautiful wild ducks, which, if desired, can be grown on your farm. This bird is undemanding in care and nutrition. The opinion of many people that she is capricious in leaving is erroneous, most likely, it is based on the exclusivity of her appearance. However, everyone who wants to become the owner of this unusual bird should have maximum information about the features of its content.
Review of red ducks in the video below.
