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Pink-eared Duck

Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Least Concern
Envergadura
36,7 cm
Peso
366,25 g
Família
Anatidae
Ordem
Anseriformes

Sobre

A small highly specialized duck with a large spatula-shaped bill for filter-feeding, grey-brown plumage with bold facial stripe, and a tiny pink patch behind the eye. Endemic to Australia. Highly nomadic; follows inland flooding. Expert filter-feeder on microscopic algae and invertebrates.

Physical Description

Measurement Value Imperial
Envergadura 36,7 cm 14.4 in
Peso 366,25 g 12.92 oz

Identificação

Plumagem

Pale gray-brown body with bold dark brown barring on flanks. Brown-streaked crown; white face with brown eye-patch. Tiny pink ear-spot behind eye. Wide gray spatulate bill. Striped flanks diagnostic. Sexes similar.

Habitat & Range

Ephemeral and permanent inland wetlands, flooded grasslands, and claypans across Australia. Highly nomadic, following unpredictable inland flooding. Most common in the Murray-Darling Basin in flood years.

Distribuição geográfica

Breeds across Eurasia; winters across sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most widespread Palearctic–African long-distance migrants.

Diet & Feeding

Highly specialized filter-feeder; spatulate bill strains algae and zooplankton from turbid Australian floodwaters; tracks inland floods.

Estado de conservação

Least Concern
IUCN Red List

Comportamento e reprodução

Nidificação

Nest type: M,O. Incubation: 26 days. Fledging: 45-60 days.

Tamanho da postura

6-8

Som

Canto

A soft, high-pitched rattling 'zarr-zarr' or reedy whistle. Considered a quiet duck. Calls while feeding in shallow Australian wetlands and flooded grasslands.

Taxonomia

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Ordem Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Família Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus Malacorhynchus
Espécies Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Distribution

Pink-eared Duck has been recorded in 5 countries.

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Presente Not recorded
{# Simplified country/region shapes — major landmasses with ISO alpha-2 data attributes. These are simplified polygon representations for visual distribution display. #}

countries highlighted

External Databases

Perguntas frequentes

What does the Pink-eared Duck eat?
Highly specialized filter-feeder; spatulate bill strains algae and zooplankton from turbid Australian floodwaters; tracks inland floods.
Where does the Pink-eared Duck live?
Ephemeral and permanent inland wetlands, flooded grasslands, and claypans across Australia. Highly nomadic, following unpredictable inland flooding. Most common in the Murray-Darling Basin in flood years.
Is the Pink-eared Duck endangered?
The Pink-eared Duck has a conservation status of Least Concern.
How does the Pink-eared Duck nest?
Nest type: M,O. Incubation: 26 days. Fledging: 45-60 days.
What does the Pink-eared Duck sound like?
A soft, high-pitched rattling 'zarr-zarr' or reedy whistle. Considered a quiet duck. Calls while feeding in shallow Australian wetlands and flooded grasslands.
How big is the Pink-eared Duck?
The Pink-eared Duck has a wingspan of 36.7 cm, weight of 366.25 g.
What order and family does the Pink-eared Duck belong to?
The Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.

Similar Birds

Other species in the Anatidae family

Comparar

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