Abstract
The Ferruginous duck is a winter visitor and breeding resident in Morocco. The species breeds regularly in several coastal and inland wetlands, with remarkable numbers in some marshlands (Sidi Boughaba, Fouwarate, Bargha, Bas Loukkos, etc.). This duck is listed as near threatened in the IUCN Red List, and its populations have been in decline in many European countries. In Morocco, the national wintering population has known, during the last decade, a strong increase, in both its numbers (from tens to thousands of individuals) and distribution area (from a couple of sites to more than 21 wetlands). The North-West region of Morocco has been hosting regularly, during the last decade, between 31 and 91% of the Moroccan wintering population, which is mainly concentrated in two marshlands: Merja de Fouwarate and Merja de Sidi Boughaba. A small reservoir, Barrage Hassar, recently created in the Centre-Atlantic region, has also been, in recent years, one of the most important wintering sites of the species. 15 wetlands have hosted, at least once during the last decade, more than 1% of the regional population of “West Mediterranean/North and West Africa”. This work is an important step to a better knowledge of the Ferruginous duck’s population. This knowledge is the basis for adopting adequate measures for the conservation of the species at the national and international level.
Highlights
The Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (Guldenstadt, 1770) is a winter visitor and a breeding resident in Morocco [1, 2]; it winters regularly in the Northern part of the country, usually in small numbers, in comparison with Tropical Africa [2].Recent breeding data show that the species breeds regularly in Marais du bas Loukkos [3], Marais de l’wad Smir [4], Marais de Wad El Maleh [5], Merja de Sidi Boughaba [6], and Merja de Wad Fouwarate [7]
Until 2008, this number varied from year to year, between 2 and 6, while the total number of wintering sites was limited to 12 wetlands
The species used to winter in the country, as in the rest of the Maghreb region countries, in small numbers
Summary
The Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (Guldenstadt, 1770) is a winter visitor and a breeding resident in Morocco [1, 2]; it winters regularly in the Northern part of the country, usually in small numbers, in comparison with Tropical Africa [2].Recent breeding data show that the species breeds regularly in Marais du bas Loukkos [3], Marais de l’wad Smir [4], Marais de Wad El Maleh [5], Merja de Sidi Boughaba [6], and Merja de Wad Fouwarate [7]. The Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (Guldenstadt, 1770) is a winter visitor and a breeding resident in Morocco [1, 2]; it winters regularly in the Northern part of the country, usually in small numbers, in comparison with Tropical Africa [2]. Unpublished data have been collected from Barrage El Mehraz, near Fes city, and from a small marshland in Walidia. In Europe, the Ferruginous duck prefers shallow freshwater wetlands [9], generally rich in emergent vegetation [10,11,12], but it can occupy coastal ecosystems [13]. In Morocco, this species is most commonly found in marshes and lakes with emergent plants (mainly Typha, Phragmites, Scirpus, Sparganium, Cladium, and Carex) that create safe nesting areas for the species [14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
