Paradise Shelduck - Cosmetic Reversel in New Zealand

As we all know, in the bird world it is usually the male bird that gets all the color. The gaudy feathers, the bright colors, all the bling usually ends up on the male bird. I am sure there are great reasons, you know, looking hot in order to attract a mate, the drab female can sit on a nest, with less chance of being spotted by a predator, there are many good reasons. All that is thrown out the window when it comes to New Zealand's Paradise Shelduck. Actually resembling a goose, more than a duck, the female is was blessed with bright orange and chestnut body colors, and brilliant white head. Now, don't get me wrong, the male is no slouch, but when you are scanning a field, that bright colored female stands out like a beacon. This is also a very wide spread bird, at least so far on the South Island, with what seems like a pair in every decent sized field, paddock are large pond. Take a look at the colors of both birds, and let me know what you think!

Here is a shot of three of the females out in a paddock

For comparison, here is the male

Here are a few more shots, including a flying shot, where you can see the bright white wing bars that are impossible to miss. This flight shot is on a juvenile female.