Australian Wood Duck: how to recognise it
A bird of Europe and Oceania. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Ben Ackerley · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Chenonetta jubata
- Family
- Ducks, Geese, and Swans
- Size
- About 48 cm
- Habitat
- Grassy ground near water, farms and parks
- Found in
- Europe and Oceania
The key marks
Goose-like duck with a short bill, grazing on land. Male: brown head with a dark mane, grey body, speckled chest. Female: grey-brown with pale eyebrow stripes. Pacific Black Duck has a longer bill, striped face and dabbles in the water.
Voice
A short, nasal, slightly rising 'gnow'.
Good to know
It nests in tree holes, and the ducklings leap to the ground when a day or two old.
Do not confuse with
Compare it with the Pacific Black Duck. Look at the marks above one by one rather than the overall colour, and practise telling the two apart with real photos.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in grassy ground near water, farms and parks. It is especially common in Australia. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.