Falcated Duck (Water and Lake Birds by Maia & Borges)

Review and images by Birdsage; edited by bmathison1972

The Falcated Duck (Mareca falcata or Anas falcata) is a species of dabbling duck found in the wetlands in East Asia. It eats primarily water plants and aquatic invertebrates. It breeds in Russia and Mongolia and winters in East and Southeast Asia. It occurs rarely as a vagrant on the Pacific Coast of North America, where it is considered a highly desirable sighting by birders; it is listed as a Code 4 bird on the ABA checklist. Threats to the Falcated Duck include over-hunting and the clearing of its wetland habitat; its status on the IUCN Red List is “Near Threatened”.

This figure is by Maia & Borges of Portugal, perhaps best known for its series of marine animals. This figure was released in a “Water and Lake Birds” series in 2012. Also part of this series are some more Anatidae, plus loons and a grebe with inaccurate legs and feet.

The figure undoubtedly represents an adult male. As is the case with most ducks, female Falcated Ducks are drab gray-brown in color. The figure is also remarkably detailed, down to the white spot just above the bill. The upper mandible of the bill is light gray with painted nostrils and a black nail (tip); the lower mandible is all black. The sides of the head are green, and the crown is brown.

The figure sports a white throat and a black collar bordered by white. The underparts are light gray with black scaling. The figure probably should not have black patterning in its wings, however. The falcate (sickle-like) feathers extending from the wings give the bird its name. The black and white undertail coverts are patterned as they would be in life.

The figure is sculpted standing on land. It should be noted that the Falcated Duck is not commonly seen on land, but from the few photos that do show it like this, the dark gray color of the feet seems to be accurate. The base appears to depict a tree stump behind the duck’s feet and a red flower up front.

The figure is 6 cm (~2.36”) in length. The actual bird measures between 46 to 54 cm (~18-21”), so the figure is between 1:8 and 1:9 in scale. This figure is a must-have for any collector of birds or Asian animals. Maia & Borges figures, while not particularly common, are sometimes available from certain sellers and collectors.