Common Shelduck

🔍 Overview

Large, bold, and elegant, the Common Shelduck is often seen on Sussex estuaries and coastal lagoons, particularly at low tide.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Size: Large duck (58–67 cm)
Plumage: White with dark green head and chestnut breast band
Distinctive Marks: Red bill with knob on males
Bill: Red, slightly upturned
Tail: White with dark terminal band
Flight: Broad wings, strong direct flight

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

Common at Adur Valley, Widewater, and Worthing Beaches year-round.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

Low nasal honks and growls. Often seen feeding on mudflats in family groups.

🍴 Diet

Mud-dwelling invertebrates, worms, and small snails.

📸 Birding Tip

Visit coastal lagoons at low tide for close-up views of feeding birds and ducklings in spring.