Aust birds    Bird names   News   1-26    Habitats    Key plants    Glossary    Plumage    Nests    Tips    Thumbnails    Gen. info    Sponsors    Photos for sale   
NON-PASSERINES     1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10     11     12     13     14 15     16     17     18     19     20     21     22     23     24     25     26     PASSERINES
Common names sorted alphabetically: A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   W   Y  

2

Pink-eared Duck

(Malacorhynchus membranaceus)
Alternate name(s): "Zebra Duck", "Pink-eyed Duck", "Widgeon", "Whistling Teal"
Aboriginal name(s): "wilidhubaay" [yuwaalaraay, yuwaalayaay]; "wiRinut" [tjapwurrung]; "wimbin" (WA)

Size: 38-45 cm; wing span 58-72 cm
Weight: 275-480 g
Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Pink-eared 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

The sex of the birds shown below was not determined by any distinguishing features, but by their behaviour. They were found resting in the same spot on multiple occasions over the course of weeks, and the location turned out to be close to a nest, presumably with a female in it, at Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, shown below.

Close-up frontal view of a, presumably male, Pink-eared Duck looking sideways; note the characteristic pink spot behind the eye
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, July 2022]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male(?) Pink-eared Duck (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Near-lateral view of a male(?) Pink-eared Duck (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, July 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a male(?) Pink-eared Duck (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

FEMALE

Close-up view of a female Pink-eared Duck in its nest inside a tree hollow (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

PAIR

Frontal and near-frontal view of a pair of Pink-eared Ducks
[Warialda, NSW, April 2017]

Near-frontal and near-lateral view of a pair of Pink-eared Ducks (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gratton, QLD, August 2017]

Near-frontal and lateral view of a pair of Pink-eared Ducks
[Whittaker's Lagoon, near Moree, NSW, June 2012]

Lateral and dorsal view of two Pink-eared Ducks
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2016]

Dorsal view of a pair of Pink-eared Ducks (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Whittaker's Lagoon, near Moree, NSW, June 2012]

Pair of Pink-eared Ducks low in flight (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Whittaker's Lagoon, near Moree, NSW, June 2012]

Sex unknown

Close-up lateral view of a Pink-eared Duck guarding its family (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a Pink-eared Duck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gratton, QLD, August 2017]

Lateral view of a Pink-eared Duck
[Tiger Bay Wetlands, Warren, NSW, December 2016]

The high-resolution version of this near-dorsal view of a Pink-eared Duck clearly shows the sieve on the side of its bill that enables the typical filter-feeding (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary, Bayswater, Perth, WA, November 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a preening Pink-eared Duck (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary, Bayswater, Perth, WA, November 2015]

Dorsal view of a Pink-eared Duck, with the characteristic pink spot clearly visible
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2016]

Four Pink-eared Ducks having a snooze together with three Grey Teals; note that no pink dots are visible - we do not know whether this is to be expected; the photo was taken at the end of the breeding season
[Goran Lake, NSW, April 2011]

Pink-eared Ducks resting on a partially submerged tree on the edge of a water storage dam
[Old Quipolly Dam, Quirindi, NSW, December 2013]

Pink-eared Ducks resting in close proximity to several other species of aquatic birds; they formed part of a flock of about 250 birds in total
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2011]

Size comparison of a Pink-eared Duck with an Australasian Shoveler (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, May 2021]

Pair of Pink-eared Ducks taking off from a semi-permanent waterhole (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Whittaker's Lagoon, near Moree, NSW, June 2012]

Frontal view of a flock of Pink-eared Ducks in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2011]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Pink-eared Duck - note the bird's pale appearance of the darker parts of the plumage and the absence of a pink ear spot
[40 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]

Frontal view of a Pink-eared Duck with 3 juveniles (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a Pink-eared Duck with 3 juveniles (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a Pink-eared Duck resting with 3 juveniles (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a pair of Pink-eared Ducks with 3 juveniles (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Close-up view of a family of Pink-eared Ducks with 6 ducklings; these were incubated and raised through winter
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a Pink-eared duckling
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2016]

Pair of Pink-eared Ducks making sure that a Great Crested Grebe does not get too close to their chicks
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]

Pair of Pink-eared Ducks making sure that a pair of Great Crested Grebes does not get too close to their chicks
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]

Lateral view of a Pink-eared Duck with four ducklings (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, January 2015]

Pair of Pink-eared Ducks with four ducklings (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, March 2022]

8 Pink-eared ducklings all trying to fit under one parent bird (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Family of Pink-eared Ducks (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Pink-eared Duck duckling with its "mate", an equally young Australian Wood Duck duckling (photo courtesy of C. Hayne); click on photo to see who is swimming ahead of them

Dorsal view of a Pink-eared Duck with six ducklings
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2016]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Nov Eggs: 6 - 8 Incubation period: 26 days Fledging age: N/A

Pink-eared Ducks breed mostly in the south-eastern quarter (inland, west of the Great Dividing Range, mostly to the East of the NSW/SA border) and in the south-western corner of the Australian continent. Although Pink-eared Ducks preferably breed in the southern spring, they can in principle breed any time of the year, usually after a big rain event (usually after floods, when the water starts receding).

Like other ducklings, young Pink-eared Ducks are precocial, leaving their nest at a young age, to be led by their mother until they can fly.

Nest building: ? Incubation: Female Dependent care: Female

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket Material: Downy feathers Height above ground: 0.5 - ? m

Usually the nest will be in an open hollow, usually in the trunk of an old, dead tree, less exposed than the nest shown here. The only material used is an abundance of feathers that can totally cover the eggs.

Overview of a Pink-eared Duck nest in the hollow trunk of a tree, not far above the water line (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Overview of a male(?) Pink-eared Duck resting near its nest in the tree trunk; click on image for a larger version showing the female inside the hollow (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Close-up view of a female(?) Pink-eared Duck in its nest inside a tree hollow (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Close-up view into a Pink-eared Duck nest; the downy feathers completely conceal the eggs (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Female Pink-eared Duck on its nest, while the male is staying nearby (photo courtesy of A. Christopher)
[Mooroopna, near Shepparton, VIC, November 2013]

Pink-eared Ducks re-using a White-necked Heron nest (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Near Baradine, NSW, 1980ies]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 50 x 36 mm Colour: Creamy Shape: Tapered oval

One needs to lift the "lid" of this Pink-eared Duck nest to see at least 6 eggs inside (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Near Baradine, NSW, 1980ies]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Dispersive Elementary unit: Large flock

Pink-eared Ducks are often found in flocks, with up to hundreds of birds resting or flying together. They often roost together with other ducks or waders or other species of aquatic birds.

Pink-eared Ducks can often be seen going around each other in circles, presumably to create a vortex to trap prey
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, April 2021]

Flock of Pink-eared Ducks on the edge of an irrigation farm dam (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Frontal view of a flock of Pink-eared Ducks in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2011]

Ventral view of Pink-eared Ducks in in a mixed flock with Grey Teals
[Burren Junction, NSW, January 2016]

Birds are creatures of habit: This family of Pink-eared Ducks was observed crossing the footpath on their way from one part of a lake to another several days in a row, always at the same time (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, November 2022]

Many, mostly land-based, bird species have a staggered moult of their wing feathers, thus ensuring that at any one point in time only a few feathers are missing, which enables them to continue flying throughout a moult.

Other, mostly aquatic, bird species that live in habitats in which they are safe from predators, allow themselves the luxury of a quicker, more radical moult, in which basically all flight feathers are replaced at once. Such a full wing moult will render birds flightless for a number of weeks.

Pink-eared Duck in full wing moult, rendering the bird flightless for a while - here one can see the gap left by the missing flight feathers (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, October 2017]

Pink-eared Duck in full wing moult stretching its wings, thereby exposing the quills of the new feathers
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, October 2017]

We have seen Pink-eared Ducks associating with Grey Teals on several occasions (see e.g. above the photos of flocks in flight).

Occasionally, we have observed Pink-eared Duck swimming in two parallel lines in opposite directions, then often paddling in circles around one another in pairs. This may have been a way to create waves or eddies while filter-feeding.

Pink-eared Ducks first swimming in parallel lines in opposite directions, then circling around each other in pairs while filter-feeding
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2016]

Even birds usually living in flocks, such as Pink-eared Ducks, sometimes need to settle disputes; here two are displaying a threatening posture before a fight broke out
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, October 2016]

Food, Diet

Pink-eared Ducks are specialists in collective filter-feeding; by swimming in circles they create vortices in which material is trapped that they then take in (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gratton, QLD, August 2017]

Pink-eared Ducks have two basic feeding techniques; "vortexing", as also shown above... (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

... and just filter-feeding, here collectively in a straight line (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Pink-eared Ducks seen filter-feeding
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2016]

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.

pnkduck_20140728_4.mp3 (NW NSW) Contact call © MD
pnkduck_20140424.mp3 (NW NSW) Contact calls © MD
pnkduck_20151222.m4a (NW NSW) Arrival & contact calls (Q&A) + Red-necked Avocet © MD
pnkduck_20140711.mp3 (NW NSW) Warning call (human) & reply © MD
pnkduck_20140728_3.mp3 (NW NSW) Arrival © MD
pnkduck_20141206.mp3 (NW NSW) Various © MD
pnkduck_20170508.mp3 (NW NSW) ? © MD
pnkduck_20140728_2.mp3 (NW NSW) ? © MD
pnkduck_20141206_2.mp3 (NW NSW) Mixed flock (with Red-necked Avocet) © MD

More Pink-eared 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.

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