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Hardhead

Aythya australis

Least Concern

Wingspan

42.7 cm

Weight

803.75 g

Family

Anatidae

Order

Anseriformes

About

A medium-sized diving duck. Males have rich chestnut-brown body, white eye, and blue-grey bill; females are similar but duller. Australia's only widespread diving duck. Nomadic; follows inland flooding. Forms large rafts on deep lakes.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	42.7 cm	16.8 in
Weight	803.75 g	28.35 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males dark chocolate-brown with white undertail and flanks. White eye conspicuous. Blue-gray bill with white band and black tip. Females similar but brown with brown eye. Bold white wing stripe in flight. Australian endemic.

Habitat & Range

Deep freshwater lakes, rivers, and reservoirs across Australia and New Guinea. Nomadic in Australia, following seasonal inland flooding. Prefers deep water with submerged aquatic plants.

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in northern prairie potholes; winters along the Pacific coast of North America from British Columbia to Baja California.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal habitats; diet shifts between invertebrate types seasonally.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: PL. Incubation: 25-32 days.

Clutch Size

6-18

Sound

Song

Male produces a deep, purring wheeze; female gives a grating quacking series. Calls closely resemble Common Pochard; the female's harsh notes carry far across Australian freshwater lakes.

Taxonomy

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

Distribution

Hardhead has been recorded in 5 countries.

{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}

Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Hardhead eat?

Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal habitats; diet shifts between invertebrate types seasonally.

Where does the Hardhead live?

Deep freshwater lakes, rivers, and reservoirs across Australia and New Guinea. Nomadic in Australia, following seasonal inland flooding. Prefers deep water with submerged aquatic plants.

Is the Hardhead endangered?

The Hardhead has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Hardhead nest?

Nest type: PL. Incubation: 25-32 days.

What does the Hardhead sound like?

Male produces a deep, purring wheeze; female gives a grating quacking series. Calls closely resemble Common Pochard; the female's harsh notes carry far across Australian freshwater lakes.

How big is the Hardhead?

The Hardhead has a wingspan of 42.7 cm, weight of 803.75 g.

What order and family does the Hardhead belong to?

The Hardhead (Aythya australis) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.