Paradise shelduck (Putangitangi)
Adult female Paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata) in a field on Tawharanui peninsula. Although sexual colour dimorphism is common in bird species it is usually the male of a species that appears more colourful or conspicuous to the human eye. However to my eye it is the female with her white head contrasting her body that is the more striking of this species. The male’s black head blends in more with the dark body feathers.
Photo taken by Alexei Drummond on 31 December 2016, Tawharanui peninsula, New Zealand