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2

Hardhead

(Aythya australis)
Alternate name(s): "White-eyed Duck", "Brownhead", "Coppertop", "Punkari"
Aboriginal name(s): "erooto" (WA); "bubbuloo"
Size: 45-60 cm
Weight: 0.53-1.1 kg

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Hardhead at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

MALE

Close-up frontal view of a male Hardhead (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Toowoomba, QLD, October 2011]

Frontal view of a male Hardhead, back, asserting its superiority over a competitor (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]

Close-up near-lateral view of a male Hardhead, with a Wandering Whistling-Duck behind (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, November 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Hardhead (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]

Near-lateral view of a male Hardhead
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Close-up lateral view of a male Hardhead (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, July 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a male Hardhead (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Toowoomba, QLD, October 2011]

Lateral view of a male Hardhead
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Lateral view of 3 male Hardheads (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]

Lateral view of a male Hardhead together with a Pacific Black Duck
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2010]

Near-dorsal view of a male Hardhead that has just surfaced from a dive
[Whittaker's Lagoon, near Moree, NSW, June 2012]

Dorsal view of a male Hardhead; note the characteristic white rear
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2021]

Dorsal view of a male Hardhead that has just re-surfaced (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Whittaker's Lagoon, near Moree, NSW, June 2012]

Lateral view of a male Hardhead in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, February 2014]

Lateral view of a male Hardhead in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, February 2014]

Lateral view of two male Hardheads in flight, displaying their underwings and upperwings, respectively
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, March 2020]

Lateral view of a male Hardhead touching down (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, February 2014]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of two male Hardheads in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2010]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Hardhead
[Old Quipolly Dam, Quirindi, NSW, April 2012]

Near-lateral view of a female Hardhead (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Botanical Gardens, Brisbane, QLD, August 2019]

Close-up lateral view of a female Hardhead (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Toowoomba, QLD, October 2011]

Lateral view of a female Hardhead with its head turned towards the camera
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Lateral view of a female Hardhead
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Near-dorsal view of a female Hardhead; note the characteristic white rear
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2021]

Lateral view of a female Hardhead in flight (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

PAIR

Lateral view of a pair of Hardheads - female in front, male behind
[Old Quipolly Dam, Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]

Lateral view of a pair of Hardheads
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

In this shot one can see a male Hardhead feeding while keeping a watchful eye on his mate
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Dorsal view of a pair of Hardheads
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Hardhead
[50 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Hardhead
[50 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Hardhead
[50 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]

Female Hardhead with a clutch of about 10 chicks
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

One of the Hardhead chicks apparently tried to climb onto mum's back
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2010]

Female Hardhead with her ducklings
[Old Quipolly Dam, Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]

Family of Hardheads retreating into reeds
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2012]

Direct comparison between a Pacific Black Duck, right, and a male Hardhead, left
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2014]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Nomadic/dispersive Elementary unit: Pair/flock

Hardheads are known to be diving ducks and have been observed by us to do so. They can stay under water for a considerable time (30 seconds and more) and over considerable distances (100 m or more).

Especially outside the breeding season Hardheads can form large flocks; this is a cut-out - click on image to see the full field-of-view
[Barambah Dam, near Kingaroy, QLD, June 2017]

Birds that are preyed upon by raptors have wide-angle vision, i.e. their eyes are on the sides of their heads. When checking their surroundings, they typically look at things sideways, as shown in the photos below.

Hardhead checking its surroundings; at the time an immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle was circling above
[Old Quipolly Dam, Qurindi, NSW, April 2012]

Food, Diet

Like all other geese, ducks and swans, Hardheads are vegetarian. They dive to feed on underwater plants.

Lateral view of a female Hardhead with a piece of aquatic plant
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, May 2022]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

hrdhead_20220819.mp3 (NW NSW) Contact calls(?) © MD
hrdhead_20220819_2.mp3 (NW NSW) Contact calls(?) © MD

More Hardhead sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.