Musk Duck

About

Australia's largest stiff-tailed duck (~1.9 kg), family Anatidae, males bearing a leathery lobe pendant from the bill. Inhabits deep permanent freshwater lakes and swamps in southern Australia. Males emit a musky odor during courtship displays. Dives for fish, frogs, crustaceans, and mollusks. Least Concern; solitary and rarely seen due to secretive behavior.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	42.3 cm	16.7 in
Weight	1930.75 g	68.11 oz

Identification

Plumage

Both sexes are uniformly dark sooty-brown, densely barred and vermiculated with black; male has distinctive pendulous black lobe hanging below bill. Females and immatures are smaller and lack the lobe.

Habitat & Range

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Endemic to southern Australia, including southeastern and southwestern regions. Found on wetlands with lignum and reeds.

Diet & Feeding

Dives for aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and plant material in Australian freshwater lakes. Highly aquatic; rarely comes to land.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 24 days.

Clutch Size

2-3

Sound

Song

Male produces a loud, explosive plonk call followed by bill-drumming on the water surface; female gives a harsh quack. The male's bizarre splashing display is unique and unmistakable among Australian waterfowl.

Taxonomy

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

Distribution

Musk Duck has been recorded in 1 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇳🇴 Norway

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Musk Duck eat?

Dives for aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and plant material in Australian freshwater lakes. Highly aquatic; rarely comes to land.

Where does the Musk Duck live?

Endemic to southern Australia, including southeastern and southwestern regions. Found on wetlands with lignum and reeds.

Is the Musk Duck endangered?

The Musk Duck has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Musk Duck nest?

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 24 days.

What does the Musk Duck sound like?

Male produces a loud, explosive plonk call followed by bill-drumming on the water surface; female gives a harsh quack. The male's bizarre splashing display is unique and unmistakable among Australian waterfowl.

How big is the Musk Duck?

The Musk Duck has a wingspan of 42.3 cm, weight of 1930.75 g.

What order and family does the Musk Duck belong to?

The Musk Duck (Biziura lobata) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.