Freckled Duck

About

An unusual Australian duck with dark brown plumage densely speckled with small pale spots. Considered a living fossil with no close relatives—placed in its own subfamily. Males have a red base to the bill in breeding season. Found in inland Australia; highly nomadic following rainfall.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	46.5 cm	18.3 in
Weight	888.25 g	31.33 oz

Identification

Plumage

Dark grayish-brown plumage densely freckled with pale spots and streaks throughout. Head large and rounded with peaked crown. Bill gray-blue with red patch at base in breeding males. Sexes similar.

Habitat & Range

Dense inland freshwater swamps, tea-tree bogs, and reedy lakes across southern and inland Australia. Highly nomadic; follows ephemeral inland flooding. Key breeding sites in Murray-Darling Basin swamps.

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in the sub-Arctic and boreal regions of North America; winters inland and coastally across the southern United States.

Diet & Feeding

Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds in shallow water; upends in wetlands; diet shifts toward plant matter outside breeding season.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 26-31 days. Fledging: 49-63 days.

Clutch Size

5-10

Sound

Song

Soft, nasal 'quacking' and grunting sounds. Considered a quieter, more secretive duck than most. Males give a soft wheeze; females give low quacks. Not vocal by duck standards.

Taxonomy

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

Distribution

Freckled 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 Freckled Duck eat?

Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds in shallow water; upends in wetlands; diet shifts toward plant matter outside breeding season.

Where does the Freckled Duck live?

Dense inland freshwater swamps, tea-tree bogs, and reedy lakes across southern and inland Australia. Highly nomadic; follows ephemeral inland flooding. Key breeding sites in Murray-Darling Basin swamps.

Is the Freckled Duck endangered?

The Freckled Duck has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Freckled Duck nest?

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 26-31 days. Fledging: 49-63 days.

What does the Freckled Duck sound like?

Soft, nasal 'quacking' and grunting sounds. Considered a quieter, more secretive duck than most. Males give a soft wheeze; females give low quacks. Not vocal by duck standards.

How big is the Freckled Duck?

The Freckled Duck has a wingspan of 46.5 cm, weight of 888.25 g.

What order and family does the Freckled Duck belong to?

The Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.