The wide, spoon-shaped bill is lined with fine lamellae that filter tiny aquatic organisms from the water.
WA: Rare; NT: Vulnerable
Indigenous: Dhibayuu
At a glance
FamilyDucks, Geese, and Waterfowl
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
Habitatgrassland, sparse woodland, open woodland, herbaceous graminoids sparse hummock grasses, and waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from January to May.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Nick Talbot
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
133307approx records
8states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Courtship in New Zealand starts around August which involves vocalisations from the drake (male) accompanied with head-bobbing whilst swimming toward the duck (female).
Behavior
Mating will occur as early as August, though nesting rarely happens until at least October. Males with a lot of white breast feathers are not usually paired.
Gallery
Regional timing
Queensland
New South Wales
Victoria
Western Australia
Tasmania
South Australia
Northern Territory
Australian Capital Territory