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Musk Duck
(Biziura lobata)
: "Mould Goose", "Steamer", "Diving Duck"
Aboriginal name(s): "benalla", "berallah" (also "berala"), "nakkare", "pelde", "tatea",
"modewarra", "tinbalong";
"bagabagaali" [yuwaalaraay], "biraala" [gamilaraay];
"kodara", "koodjak" (SW WA)
Size:
60-70 cm (male),
47-55 cm (female)
Weight:
2.4 kg (male),
1.5 kg (female)
(average)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Musk Ducks are large ducks that usually lie very low
in the water. Their mainly dark-brown plumage is mottled with grey.
The cap and nape of the neck are near-black.
Male Musk
Ducks have a large dark-brown bill lobe that females are missing.
The stiff, stringy tail feathers of both sexes can be erected.
Both sexes have dark irises. The massive, near triangular-shaped
bill is dark-grey, the legs and feet are also dark-grey.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Female Blue-billed
Ducks and female
Musk Ducks can be hard to distinguish. The most prominent difference is
the shape of the bills.
Female Blue-billed Ducks have a typical "duck-like" bill, while that
of the female Musk
Duck is much more massive, near-triangular and more reminiscent of a goose's
bill.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Musk
Duck at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Musk Duck is available
HERE
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Musk Ducks are endemic to Australia.
Similar to Blue-billed
Ducks, Musk Ducks are found only in the south-eastern and
south-western parts of the Australian continent. Their range comprises
basically all of Tasmania, VIC, NSW and the southernmost part of QLD,
as well as the easternmost part of SA (including Innamincka), plus the
south-west corner of WA.
Musk Ducks are often found in densely vegetated swamps (both fresh water and saline)
and also on open lakes.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Our first sighting of Musk Ducks was in March 2008 on two water storage dams in the area of
Leigh Creek/Copley in South Australia, on the western side of
the central Flinders
Ranges.
Musk Ducks are found only infrequently/irregularly on the western side
of the Great Dividing Range.
In October 2010 a female
bird was seen by us at Narrabri Lake, Narrabri, NSW.
Its identification (i.e., the distinction from a female Blue-billed Duck)
was secured by comparison of the bills of the two species.
A single male
Musk Duck was spotted by us at New Quipolly Dam near Quirindi, NSW,
in December 2013. Since then they are found by us at this location
semi-regularly.
A male Musk Duck
was spotted at Dangars Lagoon, Uralla, NSW, in March 2012.
C. Hayne reports that over 30 Musk Ducks were seen at Little Llangothlin NR, North of
Guyra, in March 2012.
J. Munro reports spotting a male Musk Duck on Penny Lake,
King Island, near Tasmania, in December 2013.
J. Greaves reports spotting Musk Ducks at Lake Claremont, Perth, WA,
in January 2015, in Manjimup, WA, in March 2015, and at Herdsman Lake,
Perth, WA, in August 2015.
R. Plumtreereports finding Musk Ducks at the Lake Bonney Riverland,
Barmera, SA, in September 2018.
M. Eaton reports spotting a Musk Duck at Beardy Waters Dam, Glen Innes,
NSW, in July 2019.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Close-up frontal view of a male Musk Duck; note the distinctive lobe
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, August 2015]
Close-up lateral view of a male Musk Duck; note the distinctive lobe
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, August 2015]
Close-up lateral view of a male Musk Duck, now with its head turned
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, August 2015]
Lateral view of a male Musk Duck (photo courtesy of J. Munro)
[Penny Lake, King Island, Tasmania, December 2013]
Dorsal view of a male Musk Duck, with the bird's head turned, making
the lobe prominently visible
[Dangars Lagoon, Uralla, NSW, March 2012]
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FEMALE |
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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]
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]
Comparison of a female Musk Duck with a
Pacific Black Duck
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Beardy Waters Dam, Glen Innes, NSW, July 2019]
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.
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Food, Diet |
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Unlike other geese, ducks and swans, Musk Ducks are not vegetarian.
They feed, in addition to underwater plants, on water beetles, yabbies,
water snails and freshwater shellfish.
Female Musk Duck eating a piece of an underwater plant
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2010]
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.