1.0Swiss Ornithological Institutehttps://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="HM0hiGPRPX"><a href="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/common-shelduck/">Common Shelduck</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds-of-switzerland/common-shelduck/embed/#?secret=HM0hiGPRPX" width="600" height="338" title="“Common Shelduck” — Swiss Ornithological Institute" data-secret="HM0hiGPRPX" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://www.vogelwarte.ch/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> https://www.vogelwarte.ch/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/710_1.jpg16001200The Common Shelduck is perceived as a duck even more so than the Ruddy Shelduck. Both species, however, belong to the Tadorninae, which are between actual ducks and geese according to their behaviour and colouring. Common Shelducks, with their colourful markings, remind one of an exotic species. They are a common sight along the coasts of the North and the Baltic Seas, breeding in burrows, often rabbit burrows. In late summer, the majority of the West European breeding birds gathers in the Wadden Sea to moult their flight-feathers.