Pacific Black Duck

About

A large brown dabbling duck with a distinctive bold head pattern: dark crown, buff cheeks with two dark stripes, and a green speculum. The Mallard equivalent in Australasia. Widespread and common in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and Pacific islands. Very tolerant of human presence.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	50.2 cm	19.8 in
Weight	1000.5 g	35.29 oz

Identification

Plumage

Brownish-black body with pale buff feather edges giving scaly appearance. Bold pale buff supercilium and dark eye-stripe and crown stripe on paler face. Iridescent green speculum. Gray bill; orange legs. Sexes similar.

Habitat & Range

Freshwater and brackish wetlands across Australasia and the Pacific Islands, from freshwater lakes and rivers to coastal estuaries, mangroves, and irrigated agricultural areas. Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes.

🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Found across sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar; locally sedentary in freshwater lakes and rivers year-round.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for fish and aquatic invertebrates; serrated bill adapted for gripping prey; diet varies with fish availability seasonally.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CV,O. Incubation: 26-32 days. Fledging: 52-66 days.

Clutch Size

3-15

Sound

Song

Female gives a loud, emphatic quacking series; male utters a soft quip note. Common call is a loud, repeated quack; alarm is an insistent, rattling quacking burst.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Anas
Species	Anas superciliosa

Distribution

Pacific Black Duck has been recorded in 4 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇴 Norway 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Pacific Black Duck eat?

Dives for fish and aquatic invertebrates; serrated bill adapted for gripping prey; diet varies with fish availability seasonally.

Where does the Pacific Black Duck live?

Freshwater and brackish wetlands across Australasia and the Pacific Islands, from freshwater lakes and rivers to coastal estuaries, mangroves, and irrigated agricultural areas. Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes.

Is the Pacific Black Duck endangered?

The Pacific Black Duck has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Pacific Black Duck nest?

Nest type: CV,O. Incubation: 26-32 days. Fledging: 52-66 days.

What does the Pacific Black Duck sound like?

Female gives a loud, emphatic quacking series; male utters a soft quip note. Common call is a loud, repeated quack; alarm is an insistent, rattling quacking burst.

How big is the Pacific Black Duck?

The Pacific Black Duck has a wingspan of 50.2 cm, weight of 1000.5 g.

What order and family does the Pacific Black Duck belong to?

The Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.