Habitat
Shallow freshwater lakes, pools, lagoons, pans, inland deltas, flood-plains, marshes and swamps fringed with abundant emergent and floating vegetation, generally avoiding very open water.
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa (B), Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania [United Republic of], Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Vagrant to Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Somalia, Togo.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 12,000 - 28,000 (2010).
Status LC
Modification of wetlands, pollution, hunting and trapping, and egg collection are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Predominantly herbivorous, but young may feed on Chironomid insect larvae.
White-backed Duck (Thalassornis leuconotus) [XC618624]
by Dries Van de Loock from City of Matlosana (near Erma), Southern DC, North West, South Africa (call)
White-backed Duck (Thalassornis leuconotus) [XC584725]
by Luke Goddard from Kasanka National Park, Zambia (call)
Nest
In a stand of reeds, rushes, grasses or sedges, composed of bent-over vegetation, lined with green aquatic grass, usually under overhanging vegetation.
Eggs (Guide)
4 - 9; cream or buff; oval. Incubation: 29 - 33 days; by both parents.
Subspecies
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
leuconotus Eyton, 1838 - Senegal to Chad; Ethiopia to South Africa.