African finfoot
Kingdom
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Class
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Infraclass
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Genus
SPECIES
Podica senegalensis

The African finfoot (Podica senegalensis ) is an aquatic bird from the family Heliornithidae (the finfoots and sungrebe). The species lives in the rivers and lakes of western, central, and southern Africa.

Appearance

The African finfoot is an underwater specialist with a long neck, a striking sharp beak, and bright red, lobed feet. The plumage varies by race, generally pale underneath and darker on top. The males are usually darker than the females. It superficially resembles South America's torrent duck.

Habits and Lifestyle

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Population

Population number

The African finfoot's conservation status is hard to determine, given its elusive nature. It is not considered threatened, as it is not persecuted or targeted by hunters, and while scarce, it is very widespread. However, there is concern that it may become threatened, as wetlands are cleared and watercourses altered and polluted. It is also thought to tolerate only minimal disturbance. This and increased habitat fragmentation mean that the species needs to be monitored to safeguard it. There are currently no African finfoots in captivity.

References

1. African finfoot Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_finfoot
2. African finfoot on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22692177/93339914

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