Comb Duck

Sarkidiornis melanotos

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
GenusSarkidiornis (Comb and Knob-billed Ducks)
SpeciesSarkidiornis melanotos (Comb Duck)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Kanha National Park

2 Verified sightings at Kanha National Park From 2019 to 2026

4,926 Verified sightings across all 57 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Comb Duck

The knob-billed duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos) or African comb duck is a type of duck found along the tropical/sub-tropical wetlands and waterways of Sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Madagascar, as well as most of South Asia and mainland Indochina.

Most taxonomic authorities classify the knob-billed duck and the comb duck separately. A misidentified species of extinct Mauritian comb duck was initially described from unrecognised remains of the Mauritius sheldgoose (Alopochen mauritiana); this was realised as early as 1897, but the printed case of mistaken identity can still, occasionally, be found in modern-day sources.

Uncertainty surrounds the correct systematic placement of this species. Initially, it was placed in the dabbling duck subfamily Anatinae. Later, it was assigned to the "perching ducks", a paraphyletic assemblage of waterfowl most of which are intermediate between dabbling ducks and shelducks. As the "perching ducks" were split up, the knob-billed duck was moved to the Tadorninae or shelduck subfamily.

Analysis of mtDNA sequences of the cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 genes, however, suggests that it is a quite basal member... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Kanha National Park

Nettapus coromandelianus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Dendrocygna javanica

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Mareca strepera

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Anas acuta

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Anas crecca

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Netta rufina

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anas poecilorhyncha

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Aythya ferina

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anser indicus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Spatula querquedula

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Spatula clypeata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Mareca penelope

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
2	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~30%
3	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
4	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
5	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~20%
6	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
7	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
8	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
9	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
10	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
11	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
12	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
13	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
14	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
15	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
16	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
17	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
18	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
19	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~10%
20	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
21	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
22	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
23	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
24	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
25	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
26	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
27	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
28	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
29	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
30	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
31	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	<5%
32	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
33	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
34	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
35	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
36	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
37	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
38	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
39	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
40	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
41	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
42	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	Insufficient data
43	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
44	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
45	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
46	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
47	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	Insufficient data
48	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
49	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Insufficient data
50	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
51	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	Insufficient data
52	Ankarafantsika National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	Insufficient data
53	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
54	Ranomafana National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	Insufficient data
55	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	Insufficient data
56	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
57	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data

← Back to Kanha National Park

Comb Duck

About the Comb Duck

Recent sightings of Comb Duck in Kanha National Park

Closest Relatives at Kanha National Park

Cotton Pygmy-Goose

Lesser Whistling-Duck

Gadwall

Northern Pintail

Common Teal

Red-crested Pochard

Indian Spot-billed Duck

Common Pochard

Bar-headed Goose

Garganey

Northern Shoveler

Eurasian Wigeon

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found