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Australian ShelduckAlternate name(s): "Mountain Duck", "Chestnut-coloured Shelduck", "Chestnut-breasted Shelduck" ![]() Size: 56-73 cm Weight: 1.5 kg (male; avg), 1.3 kg (female; avg); 0.9-2.0 kg (overall) |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of an Australian Shelduck; the all-black head,
without grey orbital rings and base of the bill, characterise
this bird as a male
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beeliar North Lake, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]
Near-frontal view of a male Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Close-up near-lateral view of a male Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Goulds Lagoon, Hobart, TAS, April 2021]
Close-up lateral view of a male Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, April 2022]
Lateral view of a male Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, April 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a male Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
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FEMALE |
Lateral view of a female Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, January 2015]
Lateral view of a female Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, April 2022]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a female Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, April 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a
female Australian Shelduck in flight, showing its upperwing
pattern (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, July 2014]
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PAIR |
Frontal view of a pair of Australian Shelducks; male on the
right, female on the left
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beeliar North Lake, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]
Near-frontal view of a pair of Australian Shelducks; male on the
right, female on the left
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Goulds Lagoon, Hobart, TAS, April 2021]
Near-frontal view of a pair of Australian Shelducks; for comparison
2 Chestnut Teals behind
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Goulds Lagoon, Hobart, TAS, April 2021]
Pair of Australian Shelducks, female on the right, male on the left
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beeliar North Lake, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]
Close-up lateral view of a pair of Australian Shelducks,
With a clear view of the fine vermiculation on the grey
wing coverts
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beeliar North Lake, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]
Close-up lateral view of a pair of Australian Shelducks
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, April 2022]
Lateral view of a pair of Australian Shelducks; male on the left
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Goulds Lagoon, Hobart, TAS, April 2021]
Lateral view of a pair of Australian Shelducks; male on the
left, female on the right (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2017]
Lateral view of a pair of Australian Shelducks; in the foreground a pair
of Pacific Black Ducks
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beeliar North Lake, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]
Lateral view of a pair of Australian Shelducks; in the foreground a
Pacific Black Duck
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beeliar North Lake, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]
Pair of Australian Shelducks; the male is seen on the right, the
female on the left (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay North, East Gippsland, VIC, July 2014]
Dorsal view of a pair of Australian Shelducks; male at the
back, female in front
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beeliar North Lake, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]
Several pairs of Australian Shelduck resting by the shore of a
lake
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Pair of Australian Shelducks in flight
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Hollands Landing, near Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park, VIC, October 2014]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a juvenile Australian Shelduck; note the grey
fringe around the base of the bill
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Lateral view of a resting juvenile (male?) Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Australian Shelduck
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Lateral/near-dorsal view of 2 juvenile Australian Shelducks
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Family of Australian Shelducks with 9 ducklings; dad leads the way,
literally leaving everyone in his wake
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, October 2021]
Female Australian Shelduck with 9 ducklings
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, October 2021]
Australian Shelduck ducklings
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Lake Newlands, near Apsley, VIC, October 2016]
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Behaviour |
Like many other waterbirds, Australian Shelducks spend much time
resting on or near water (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Rottnest Island, WA, April 2018]
Australian Shelducks resting in shallow water together with
other ducks
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beeliar North Lake, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]
Australian Shelducks on shallow water in a partially submerged
cattle paddock
[Macquarie
Marshes NR, NSW, April 2017]
Pair of Australian Shelducks on a
beach
(photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, April 2021]
Australian Shelducks can congregate in substantial numbers
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, October 2022]
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Food, Diet |
Juvenile Australian Shelduck upending to reach a plant under water
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Close-up frontal view of a juvenile Australian Shelduck with
a piece of an aquatic plant in its bill
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Family of Australian Shelducks feeding on aquatic plants
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Australian Shelducks feeding on
pasture, together with
Australian White Ibises
(photo courtesy of S. Kirkby)
[Near Albany, WA, July 2011]