description Maccoa Duck Overview
The Maccoa duck, Oxyura maccoa, is a stiff-tailed diving duck found in parts of eastern and southern Africa. Breeding males have a chestnut body, black head, bright blue bill, and a long, rigid tail that may be held upright, while females and nonbreeding males are more subdued brown. It inhabits freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and marshes with open water and emergent vegetation, diving to feed on aquatic invertebrates and plant material.
help Maccoa Duck FAQ
Where does the Maccoa Duck live?
The Maccoa Duck has separate populations in the Ethiopian highlands, eastern Africa around southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, and southern Africa from Namibia and Zimbabwe through South Africa. It prefers deep, permanent wetlands with emergent vegetation. [BirdLife South Africa](https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-data-book/red-list/maccoa-duck/)
What does a breeding male Maccoa Duck look like?
The breeding male has a chestnut body, black head, bright blue bill, and a long stiff tail that may be held upright. Females and nonbreeding males are browner and less sharply marked. [BirdLife South Africa](https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-data-book/red-list/maccoa-duck/)
What does the Maccoa Duck eat?
It dives for small invertebrates and strains food from wetland sediment, taking items such as water fleas and snails. It also eats some seeds and roots, and reported feeding dives can last around 15 to 22 seconds. [BirdLife South Africa](https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-data-book/red-list/maccoa-duck/)
Why is the Maccoa Duck considered threatened?
BirdLife's global assessment lists the Maccoa Duck as Endangered. Wetland drainage, pollution, invasive aquatic plants, and changing water levels can reduce the deep vegetated wetlands it needs. [BirdLife South Africa](https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-data-book/red-list/maccoa-duck/)
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