Il Codon belongs to the order Anseriformes, family Anatidae, aquatic birds known as ducks. It is also included in the group of “surface ducks”, which only immerse their heads to feed themselves, without going under the water completely. The name "Codon”(Both scientific and common) derives from its main characteristic: an extremely long and threadlike tail, more marked in the males. It has an elegant and slender build, with an elongated neck. The sexes have different morphology. The male has a chocolate brown head and neck, with two evident white bands on the sides of the neck, long up to the chest, and gray upper parts and flanks; the males in “eclipse” (seasonal transition dress) is similar to the female, but has a darker back. The female of the Codon it is brownish, similar to that of other species of ducks, but it is distinguished by the thinner and longer neck, the more slender shape, the more pointed tail and the gray beak. It is a medium-large species, with a body length between 51 and 66 cm. The flight is very elegant, not very fast but with a very frequent flapping of wings; during the wingspan the clear posterior margin is well recognizable. The flocks, not very compact and small in size (about ten individuals), fly in the typical "V" formation. It often mixes with other congeners that frequent the same areas (Garganey, Mallard, Teal). The Codon in the water it assumes a raised posture, feeding in a semi-submerged position with the rear upwards and the tail slightly lowered, assuming a cross shape, which stands out on the surface of the water; on the ground it walks easily, with body and tail in an almost horizontal position. Although the species is mainly monogamous, the males frequently try to mate with other females; the two sexes, however, tend to form distinct groups until late autumn.
CODON: Habitat and distribution area
During migration and wintering the Codon it frequents inland wetlands, coastal habitats, especially estuaries, salt flats and marshes with shallow waters and submerged vegetation, and cultivated areas, especially stubble fields. Sporadic cases of nesting of Codons in coastal wetlands of fresh or slightly brackish water. It feeds by keeping the front parts of the body immersed and the tail vertically out of the water (technique called up-ending); basically omnivorous, the Codon it prefers food of animal origin in the breeding season and vegetable food in the cold one. In Europe it nests continuously in the plains of the eastern and north-eastern part, from Scandinavia to Russia, between the 50th and 70th parallel; in the center the presences are fragmented, while in the southern portions there are only occasional reports. In Italy the Codon it is mainly migratory and wintering, with rare reports of nesting, in the main humid areas of central and southern Italy. Wintering takes place in the coastal and lagoon habitats of the upper Adriatic, Tuscany, Puglia and Sardinia; less frequent in the hinterland (Brichetti et al., 1992). The autumn migratory movements that affect our country occur between September and mid-November, the spring ones between the end of January and April; the most consistent presences occur in the coastal areas of the central regions and in the major islands (over 1000 individuals), while the passage inland is scarce (Brichetti & Fracasso, 2003).
CODON: Size and trend of populations
The numbers of Codons breeding grounds have decreased throughout the range, which has contracted and concentrated in the central European states. The European populations have been estimated at a number of breeding pairs between 170.000 and 340.000, of which 150-300.000 are nesting in Russia; in the Mediterranean-Black Sea area about 300.000 individuals winter (of which over 100.000 in Turkey), with a generalized tendency to decrease (Brichetti et al., 1992). In Italy the reports of nesting are isolated and sporadic, and we cannot speak of a national reproductive population. In winter, the regular presence of about 6-8000 wintering individuals is known. Currently, the Italian wintering contingents (6000-8000 individuals) appear stable, after a decrease of about 50% since the 80s (Brichetti & Fracasso, 2003).
CODON: Conservation and management
Il Codon it is not particularly protected; the threat at European level is linked to general problems involving all aquatic species: reduction of internal and coastal wetlands, anthropic disturbance, contamination by heavy metals (Brichetti & Fracasso, 2003). The degree of threat to the Codon it is not alarming (category SPEC3, vulnerable species), but the European populations appear to be in wide decline, both in the breeding areas and in the wintering ones. Maintaining a network of wetlands of some extent across Europe appears to be a priority in order to preserve breeding habitats and overwintering sites (Tucker & Heath, 1994).
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