Papers in the Biological Sciences
Date of this Version
January 1965
Abstract
I include the Australian freckled duck, as the only member of a proposed tribe Stictonettini, as I originally suggested in 1960 on a tentative basis. Previously the freckled duck had been generally considered an aberrant dabbling duck with several primitive features, such as a reticulated tarsus, simple tracheal structure (illustrated in Johnsgard, 1961c), and absence of metallic plumage coloration or distinct plumage dimorphism. No hybrids have been recorded involving this species, which occurs widely but infrequently over the southern half of Australia.
Comments
From Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior by Paul A. Johnsgard. Copyright © 1965 Cornell University Press; electronic edition copyright © 2008 Paul A. Johnsgard.