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2

Musk Duck

(Biziura lobata)
Alternate name(s): "Mould Goose", "Steamer", "Diving Duck*"
Aboriginal name(s): "bagabagaali" [yuwaalaraay], "biraala" [gamilaraay]; "murdjam" [western bundjalung]; "ngunyawil" [tjapwurrung]; "nganimil" [eastern djadjawurrung]; "kodara", "koodjak" (SW WA);
"benalla", "berallah"/"berala", "nakkare", "pelde", "tatea", "modewarra", "tinbalong"

Size: 60-70 cm (male), 47-55 cm (female)
Weight: 2.4 kg (male), 1.5 kg (female) (average)

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 Musk Duck 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 Musk Duck; note the distinctive lobe (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2015]

Close-up lateral view of a male Musk Duck looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2015]

Close-up lateral view of a male Musk Duck; note the distinctive lobe (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2015]

Lateral view of a male Musk Duck (photo courtesy of J. Munro)
[Penny Lake, King Island, Tasmania, December 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a male Musk Duck (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Dangars Lagoon, Uralla, NSW, January 2021]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Musk Duck; note the distinctive tail with stiff, pointy feathers
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

Lateral view of a female Musk Duck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beardy Waters Dam, Glen Innes, NSW, July 2019]

Lateral view of a female Musk Duck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beardy Waters Dam, Glen Innes, NSW, July 2019]

Lateral view of a female Musk Duck lying lower in the water than shown above
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

Lateral view of a female Musk Duck (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, April 2021]

Comparison of a female Musk Duck with a Pacific Black Duck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beardy Waters Dam, Glen Innes, NSW, July 2019]

PAIR

Male Musk Duck, left, displaying for a female (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2022]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up frontal view of a juvenile Musk Duck (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up near-frontal view of a juvenile Musk Duck looking sideways (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a female Musk Duck, right, with a dependent juvenile (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Musk Duck (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up dorsal view of a juvenile Musk Duck looking sideways (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up near-frontal view of a female Musk Duck with a duckling (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a Musk duckling hitching a ride on mum's back (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Dispersive Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Musk Ducks are excellent divers which can move 50 or more meters in a single long dive.

Near-lateral view of a Musk Duck going for a dive
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

A moment later the distinctive tail is sticking out of the water like a whale's fluke
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

Male Musk Ducks perform elaborate courtship displays to attract the attention of a female. Apart from inflating the throat sac/lobe, the male will first cock its tail with spiny feathers erect, then splash it down on the water's surface while calling (below).

muskduck_cp_20220823_4.mp3 (SW WA) Courtship display call (male) © CP
muskduck_cp_20220823.mp3 (SW WA) Courtship display calls (male) © CP

Male Musk Duck, back, displaying for a female (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a male Musk Duck displaying for a female (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Female Musk Duck leading a dependent juvenile onto dry land (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Female Musk Duck and dependent juvenile resting on dry land (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Food, Diet

Unlike other geese, ducks and swans, Musk Ducks are not vegetarian. They feed, in addition to underwater plants, on water beetles, yabbies, water snails, small fish and freshwater shellfish.

Female Musk Duck eating a piece of an underwater plant
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]

Female Musk Duck feeding a dependent juvenile a fish (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Female Musk Duck feeding a dependent juvenile a fish (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 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.

muskduck_cp_20220823_4.mp3 (SW WA) Plonk/whistle courtship display call (male) © CP
muskduck_cp_20220823.mp3 (SW WA) 3 plonk courtship display calls (male) + ? © CP

More Musk Duck 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.

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