Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Species
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna). Male. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs., on January 17th 2019.
Male. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs., on January 17th 2019. (© David Hastings)
(1/2500th sec at f/10. Click image for larger version)
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna). Female. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs., on January 17th 2019.
Female. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs., on January 17th 2019. (© David Hastings)
(1/160th sec at f/8. Click image for larger version)
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna). Juvenile. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on September 16th 2006.
Juvenile. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on September 16th 2006. (© David Hastings)
(Click image for larger version)

Description

L: 55 - 65 cm; WS: 100 - 120 cm

The Shelduck is a mainly white duck, larger than a mallard but smaller than geese. It has a particularly prominent red bill, black-green head, and chestnut and white upperparts. In flight, Shelducks look heavy and have slow-beating wings. The male is larger than the female.

The Shelduck is common around the British coastline.

It frequents salt marshes and estuaries. It can also be found around inland at reservoirs and gravel workings.

As many as 81000 birds spend the winter in the UK.

This species has amber status on the UK list.

Sightings

08-May-2025 : Slimbridge, Glos (20)
22-Apr-2025 : Rushy Common, Oxon (2)
05-Mar-2025 : Langstone Harbour NR, Hants (4)

06-Nov-2024 : Overy Marshes, Norfolk (15)
05-Nov-2024 : Cley Marshes, Norfolk
05-Aug-2024 : Pagham Harbour, W. Sussex (5)
02-Aug-2024 : Pagham Harbour, W. Sussex (8)
17-Jun-2024 : Hickling Broad, Norfolk (2)
15-Jun-2024 : Hickling Broad, Norfolk (1)
14-Jun-2024 : Cley Marshes, Norfolk (4)
14-Jun-2024 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (3)
31-Jan-2024 : Slimbridge, Glos
01-Jan-2024 : Cote, Oxon (2)

25-Nov-2023 : Cote, Oxon (8)
14-Nov-2023 : Cote, Oxon (9)
07-Nov-2023 : Slimbridge, Glos
22-Jun-2023 : Steart Marshes, Somerset (100+)
19-Jan-2023 : Slimbridge, Glos

25-Jun-2022 : Leighton Moss, Lancashire (7)
24-Jun-2022 : Leighton Moss, Lancashire (5)
20-Jun-2022 : Ravenglass, Cumbria (4)
25-Apr-2022 : Rushy Common, Oxon (2)
15-Apr-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (1m)

16-Oct-2020 : Warham Greens, Norfolk (1)
13-Oct-2020 : Salthouse, Norfolk (2)
08-Feb-2020 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk
07-Feb-2020 : Holkham NNR, Norfolk (4)
06-Feb-2020 : Cley Marshes, Norfolk
05-Feb-2020 : Lynford Arboretum, Norfolk (2)
04-Feb-2020 : Overy Marshes, Norfolk
03-Feb-2020 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (10+)
02-Feb-2020 : Holkham NNR, Norfolk (10)

05-Oct-2019 : Cley Marshes, Norfolk
04-Oct-2019 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (50+)
02-Oct-2019 : Cley Marshes, Norfolk (40+)
23-May-2019 : Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire
23-May-2019 : Waulkmill, Aberdeenshire (6)
20-May-2019 : Grenitote, North Uist (1)
17-Jan-2019 : Slimbridge, Glos (100+)

28-Jun-2018 : Leighton Moss, Lancashire (4)
09-Jun-2018 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (13)
18-Jan-2018 : Slimbridge, Glos (20+)

31-Oct-2017 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1)
12-Oct-2017 : Cley Marshes, Norfolk (12+)
10-Oct-2017 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (30+)
09-Oct-2017 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (12+)
15-Mar-2017 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (4)
02-Mar-2017 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (2)

04-Jul-2016 : Leighton Moss, Lancashire (4)
03-Jul-2016 : Milnthorpe, Cumbria (7)
02-Jun-2016 : Lymington-Keyhaven NR, Hants (6)
01-Jun-2016 : Lymington-Keyhaven NR, Hants (10)
27-Apr-2016 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (1m,1f)
25-Feb-2016 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (2)
04-Feb-2016 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (3)

24-Oct-2015 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk
23-Oct-2015 : Cley Marshes, Norfolk (3)
22-Oct-2015 : Snettisham, Norfolk
01-May-2015 : Arne, Dorset (12)
30-Apr-2015 : Arne, Dorset (13+)
10-Apr-2015 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (2)
25-Mar-2015 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (6)

01-Aug-2014 : Leighton Moss, Lancashire (1)
02-Jul-2014 : North Cave Wetlands, E. Yorkshire (1)
08-May-2014 : Newport, Pembrokeshire (4)
04-May-2014 : Teifi Estuary, Ceredigion (32+)
03-Apr-2014 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (12)
24-Mar-2014 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (10)
20-Mar-2014 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (8)

29-Oct-2013 : Slimbridge, Glos
26-Jun-2013 : Hickling Broad, Norfolk (5)
24-Jun-2013 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (8)
24-Jun-2013 : Salthouse, Norfolk (3)
20-Apr-2013 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)

27-Jun-2012 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (4)
26-Jun-2012 : Salthouse, Norfolk (4)
25-Jun-2012 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk (4)
29-May-2012 : Newtown Harbour NNR, Isle of Wight (16+)

27-Nov-2011 : Slimbridge, Glos
17-Jul-2011 : Lymington-Keyhaven NR, Hants

12-Apr-2009 : Otmoor, Oxon (3)
07-Feb-2009 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (1)

02-Jun-2008 : Seahouses, Northumberland (20)

16-Sep-2006 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon
03-Sep-2006 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1 juv)
01-May-2006 : Otmoor, Oxon

14-Aug-2005 : Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk

13-Jul-1999 : Isles of Scilly

13-Apr-1997 : Isles of Scilly