Comb Duck- a very rare bird sighted in Yala

A rare bird believed to be extinct and not spotted for the last 80 years was suddenly seen in Yala by a nature lover recently.The Comb Duck species believed to be a native of Sri Lanka was presumed to be wiped out as there were no recordings of its presence in the country.

In the late 1880s the History of Birds of Ceylon had made reference to this bird. However, the Comb Duck, a whistler, was never seen. In G.M. Henry’s Birds of Sri Lanka in 1971 it was noted as possibly extinct as it was not spotted for many decades. W.W.A. Philips had recorded in 1978 unconfirmed reports of the bird, but it was never seen, after long years in 1999 John Harrison in his book gives the name as Comb Duck (Nukhta)(sarkidiornis melanotos), and says that it was earlier resident in Sri Lanka, and is now extinct.

The Comb Duck is a large pan-tropical duck characterized by its goose-like appearance and an unusual knob on the male’s bill.  This knob stays small for most of the year but enlarges during breeding season, when the male Comb Ducks perch in trees and wait for the opportunity to mate. Comb Ducks are usually found in wetland areas and they tend to feed on vegetation and seeds, but will occasionally eat small fish or invertebrates.

The Sri Lankan Comb Duck is one of two subspecies of Comb Duck, also known as the Old World Comb Duck. This subspecies can also be found in sub-Saharan Africa, and other parts of South Asia.