shelduck

shelduck
/shel"duk'/, n., pl. shelducks, (esp. collectively) shelduck.
1. a sheldrake.
2. a female sheldrake.
[1700-10; SHEL(DRAKE) + DUCK1]

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Any of several short-billed, somewhat gooselike, Old World ducks with long legs and an upright stance.

They are smaller members of the duck tribe Tadornini (family Anatidae). The common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), of Europe and Asia, is black and white with a reddish chest band; the drake has a knob on his red bill. The ruddy shelduck (Casarca ferruginea), ranging from northern Africa and Spain to Mongolia, is orangish, with a pale head and white wing patches. Drakes usually have melodious whistling calls and are aggressive. In North America, mergansers are sometimes called sheldrakes.

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▪ duck group
also called  Sheldrake,  

      any of the smaller members of the duck tribe Tadornini, family Anatidae (order Anseriformes). The larger members of the tribe are sheldgeese (sheldgoose). Shelducks are short-billed ducks of somewhat gooselike build, with long legs and upright stance. They are found in the Old World.

      The common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) of Europe and Asia is black and white with a reddish chest band; the drake has a knob on his red bill. The ruddy shelduck (Casarca ferruginea), ranging from North Africa and Spain to Mongolia, is orangish, with a pale head and white wing patches. Drakes of most shelduck species have melodious whistling calls and are aggressive the year round. In the European species the hen is solitary at the nest—commonly in a rabbit burrow—and lays smooth eggs. In North America a merganser (q.v.) is sometimes called a sheldrake.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • shelduck — [shel′duk΄] n. pl. shelducks or shelduck any of a genus (Tadorna) of brightly colored wild ducks that feed on fish, shellfish, etc. and nest in burrows …   English World dictionary

  • Shelduck — Shel duck , n. [Sheld variegated + duck.] (Zo[ o]l.) The sheldrake. [Written also {shellduck}.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Shelduck — Taxobox name = Shelducks image width = 204px image caption = Female Common Shelduck regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Anseriformes familia = Anatidae subfamilia = Tadorninae genus = Tadorna genus authority = Boie, 1822… …   Wikipedia

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  • shelduck — Goosander Goos an der, n. [OE. gossander, a tautological word formed fr. goose + gander. Cf. {Merganser}.] (Zo[ o]l.) A species of merganser ({M. merganser}) of Northern Europe and America; called also {merganser}, {dundiver}, {sawbill}, {sawneb} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shelduck — Sheldrake Shel drake , n. [Sheld + drake.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of several species of large Old World ducks of the genus {Tadorna} and allied genera, especially the European and Asiatic species. ({Tadorna cornuta} syn. {Tadorna tadorna}), which… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shelduck — urvinės antys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Tadorna angl. sheld duck; shelduck vok. Kasarka, f rus. огарь, m; пеганка, f pranc. tadorne, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – melsvasparnės žąsys siauresnis terminas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • shelduck — noun Etymology: shel (as in sheldrake) + duck Date: 1707 any of various Old World ducks (genus Tadorna); especially a common mostly black and white duck (T. tadorna) slightly larger than the mallard …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • shelduck — noun Any of various waterfowl of the genus Tadorna, native to Eurasia, Africa and Australasia …   Wiktionary

  • shelduck — [ ʃɛldʌk] noun (plural same or shelducks) a large goose like duck with boldly marked plumage. [Tadorna tadorna and related species.] Origin C18: prob. from dialect sheld pied (rel. to MDu. schillede variegated ) + duck1; the term sheldrake… …   English new terms dictionary

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