Creature Feature: Pāpango or New Zealand Scaup
I remember quite vividly seeing my first Pāpango. Their eyes are what made me pause as they glowed like embers. I nicknamed them the were-wolfs of the lake because of those eyes. Though only males have the glowing stare, the females have a more muted chocolate brown hue.
Over the last two months, I have been stalking these birds.
When I first started this project, I would only see their rubber duck like silhouette in the middle of the lake. There was no way they were getting any closer to me. I was strange human. But, at the end of the project I was able to get some quite close up portraits of the bird using my 85mm. In my opinion, over time trust can develop between any species.
After months of not trying to hurt them or encroach on their lives, simply watching, they decided that I was not one to fear, rather one to ignore. That is how I like it. To become one with the landscape. I have just returned actually from my local lake, where a female scaup swam within a metre of me to perch on a rock for a morning preen. Two months ago, this would have been very very unlikely. Heck, if I even looked at them wrong they normally where swimming the opposite direction.
In this post, I wish to share some of my experiences with Pāpango as well as tips on how to photograph them and a little info about the main star themselves.
Who is the Pāpango?
The pāpango is also known as New Zealand Scaup or black teal. It is a diving duck found scattered throughout the North and South Island.
In appearance, people often describe it as a rubber ducky - as it kind of looks like one of these bath toys from a distance. The males have the glowing yellow eyes that I have discussed previously. While the females, have brown eyes. The male is a dark black colour with iridescent blue-greens feathers on their head and feathers, while the females are a lighter brown with pale underparts. Their bills are a blue-grey colour. The female during breeding session will develop white plumage around her beak. Meaning she is ready to mix and mingle with her male companions.
Male
Female
Female with chicks.
So that is how you guys can identify our friend. Look for the werewolf on the lake or the rubber ducky.
The Project
Whenever I start a new project, I put my research hat on. I learn all I can about the species. This is done through books and online, but a lot of it is done through direct observation.
First though I needed to figure out where I would be able to see pāpango. They are a water bird and are most common on large freshwater lakes. Though they are also becoming common on slow flowing rivers and salt water. However, luckily for me I already knew where I could find a large amount of pāpango. At Western Springs in Auckland, New Zealand. Basically the place where I might as well have a second home built as I spend a lot of time there and is where most of the my friends live. Shout out to my favourite swans :D
Anyway back to the story. Western Springs has a decent population of pāpango. Now that I had identified a place where I could see a lot of them, now was the time to learn all I could about their behaviour.
As I was saying above, before I start snapping the camera buttons and framing compositions, I get to know the animal. This is done over a few days. I simply go to the lake with a notebook and watch. I watch for certain behaviours I wish to capture on camera and other things like that.
Over these few days, I saw a few types of behaviour I was very eager to capture.
One was courtship
Courtship between pāpango’s is very interesting. Males float together in these giant groupings. When a female is near, some will pursue her. You can see one female with a following of two to six males, trailing behind her wherever she may decide to float. It is quite comical to watch - as she often looks very disinterested.
The way that the males court their love interests is by extending their necks out straight and flicking their heads back and something termed the kink-neck, where the neck is held at a weird angle.
Courtship
Once a bond between two pāpango has been established, they will seperate from the mass raft of pāpango.
Mating is a quick affair. Like any bird sex really. They will look at each other, the male will then approach the female, hop on and mate with the female being pushed under the water during this ordeal.
Then before you can even lift a camera to your eye, the whole ordeal is over.
I witnessed the courtship and after a month, I even managed to take an image of two mating. Which I was chuffed about - in a non-weird way. See below for the mating dance between the two.
Nests are built near the water edge. They are very secretive about this and the only way you will know a nest is near is by following one back to it. I have never seen a nest and to be honest - it is not really my place to perv on their eggs.
This season it is too early to take images of cute little pāpango chicks, but last season I managed to take a few. The chicks are fluffy and brown - they look like mum until twelve weeks of age when if they are male, they will start getting the yellow eyes and more green/blue hues in their plumage.
With all this info in my mind - I was ready to start taking photos.
I went out to the same lake three of four mornings a week over two months.
Some mornings all I got where tiny kind of bird looking things or butt shots. Heres another thing I should have mentioned, these birds dive. They are diving ducks and spend a lot of their time diving under the water.
Diving for food or simply to escape predators.
I tried very hard to get that perfect photo of a diving duck - but alas it alluded me. I did get many feathery butts though. And what is a photo reel, without some feathery butts.
Photo Tips for the Pāpango
Conditions
The best photos that I took over the course of this project was with pāpango in the mist or with green reflections.
As with their yellow eyes, it really makes them pop with these kinds of backdrops.
Rain is also great - as the drops on their feathers look very magical.
Behaviour
As I have mentioned in the body of my post, pāpango have a range of behaviour types to look out for. This includes things like courtship, mating, diving, and males chasing each other for their woman’s honour.
Getting these on camera takes patience.
Though there are some factors to look out for.
If you see a large grouping of males with a female, chances are you will see courtship behaviour.
If you see a single pair, chances are you will see mating if it is in breeding session.
If you see a pāpango, chances are you will see a diving pāpango. Haha. But, also look out for an intense look where they stare down at the water - then they are getting ready for a dive. At my local lake, there is even a special spot that many head to specially for diving. It must have a good supply of weeds - and be deep enough for their diving exploits.
Timing
Timing is key with photography.
With Pāpango, the most challenging photo I tried to take was of them diving.
I only managed to get that butt shot. Or the splash of water when they have just submerged.
Placing the camera on continuous shooting mode can help.
In regards to other kinds of photos, simply watch them for a while. You will get in synch with their day to day behaviour. For example, when one would swim determinedly towards a rock, it is a sign that they may use this for a perch for preening time.