Hartlaub's Duck

Hartlaub's Duck

Pteronetta hartlaubii

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Odzala-Kokoua National Park

In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%

22 Verified sightings at Odzala-Kokoua National Park From 2019 to 2026
55 In all 2 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Hartlaub's Duck

Hartlaub's duck (Pteronetta hartlaubii) is a dark chestnut-coloured duck of African forests. Formerly included in the paraphyletic "perching duck" assemblage, it was later moved to the dabbling duck assemblage. However, it is distinct from the "typical" dabbling ducks, and is placed in the monotypic genus Pteronetta. It is named after the German naturalist Gustav Hartlaub.

Analysis of mtDNA sequences of the cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 genes suggests that it belongs into a distinct clade together with the blue-winged goose (Cyanochen cyanoptera), another African species of waterfowl. More recent genetic evidence has confirmed this clade, and further points to their belonging to a larger group of diving ducks, with their closest relatives being a clade containing marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), white-winged duck (Asarcornis scutulata), and the widespread genera Netta and Aythya; with these, they are next closest to Australian wood duck (Chenonetta jubata) in Australia, blue duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) in New Zealand, and the pantropical comb ducks (Sarkidiornis).

On average, Hartlaub's ducks range from 56–58 centimetres... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Odzala-Kokoua National Park 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo
~40%
2 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Prague Zoo 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
2 Tierpark Berlin 🇩🇪 Germany In captivity
3 Ostrava Zoo 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
4 Zoo Pilsen 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
5 Oregon Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
6 Singapore Zoo 🇸🇬 Singapore In captivity
7 Philadelphia Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
8 Bird Paradise 🇸🇬 Singapore In captivity
9 Rainforest Wild Asia 🇸🇬 Singapore In captivity
10 Rákosův pavilon 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
11 Velemlokárium 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Hartlaub's Duck in Odzala-Kokoua National Park?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Hartlaub's Duck sighting in Odzala-Kokoua National Park on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 6th most-seen of the 72 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

What time of day is best to see a Hartlaub's Duck?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hartlaub's Duck sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Odzala-Kokoua National Park the best place to see a Hartlaub's Duck?

Yes

Of the 2 parks where we can rate Hartlaub's Duck sightings, Odzala-Kokoua National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Semuliki National Park (Uganda, about 10%).

Where does the Hartlaub's Duck sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Hartlaub's Duck is recorded against all the birds logged in Odzala-Kokoua National Park (22 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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