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Context :

A pair of endangered white-winged ducks (Deo Hanh) was recently seen in Dihing Patkai National Park.  It is the also state bird of Assam.

About White-Winged Duck:

• Scientific Name: Asarcornis scutulata
• It is also known as the White-Winged Wood Duck.
• In Assamese, it is also known as ‘Deo Hans’ or spirit duck because of it’s ghostly call.
• It is one of the most threatened waterfowl species in the world.

Conservation Status:

• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered.

Distribution:

• It Prefers dense tropical & subtropical forests with slow-moving rivers, swamps, & wetlands.
• It is mainly Found in countries India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia (Sumatra), & Malaysia.
• In India, it is mainly found in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Kaziranga National Park, & wetlands of Arunachal Pradesh & Assam.

Features:

• It has Black body with a white head spotted with black, white patches on the wings, & red or orange eyes.
• Average Length: 81 cm.
• Male is mostly larger, heavier, & it has more gloss on the plumage.
• It is a crepuscular bird, which means it is most active at dawn & dusk.
• The adults are omnivorous.

About Dehing Patkai National Park :

• Dehing Patkai National Park is in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam.
• It covers an area of 231.65 km of rainforest.
• It was Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 2004 but later it was upgraded to a national park in Dec 2020 & officially notified in June 2021.
• This park is part of the Dehing Patkai Landscape which is known for its dipterocarp dominated lowland rainforest, & harbors India's largest stretch of lowland rainforests.
• It is also an Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant
• It is also a critical site for the conservation of the white-winged wood duck.

Source: TOI