MyKrugerHoliday
Photo: DickDaniels (http://theworldbirds.org/) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source ↗
White-backed Duck
Witrugeend · Thalassornis leuconotus
A small, dumpy brown duck that sits low in the water like a grebe. It dives well, feeding underwater on waterlily seeds and other plants. The white back that gives it its name is hidden when swimming and only flashes into view when the bird takes off across a lily-covered pan.
Log your White-backed Duck sighting — free →How to identify it
A small, rounded brown duck that floats low with a pale spot at the bill base; the white back only shows in flight.
Where to see it in Kruger
Favours quiet pans and dams covered in waterlilies, usually in pairs or small groups.
Did you know
It is a champion diver, slipping underwater to feed on waterlily seeds and barely making a splash.
See it? Log it — free.
MyKrugerHoliday is a free, offline field guide and one-tap sighting log for a Kruger self-drive. No ads, no account, works with no signal.