Identification

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The knob-billed duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos), also known as the African comb duck, inhabits tropical and subtropical wetlands across Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, South Asia, and mainland Indochina. Classified under the Anatidae family, this large duck species, ranging from 56 to 76 cm in length and weighing 1.03 to 2.9 kg, is easily identifiable by its white head speckled with dark spots, pure white neck and underparts, and glossy blue-black upperparts with iridescent feathers. Males are notably larger than females and possess a distinctive black knob on their bill. Immature ducks resemble a large, greyish female cotton pygmy goose. Typically silent, they may emit a low croak when startled. The species' taxonomic classification has seen changes, with recent DNA studies placing it as a basal member of Anatidae. Despite some confusion with an extinct Mauritian comb duck, this species remains distinct and prevalent across its range.