2

Blue-billed Duck

(Oxyura australis)
Alternative names: "Spiny-tailed Duck", "Diving Duck", "Stiff-tailed Duck", "Little Musk Duck"
Size: 36-44 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Similar to Musk Ducks, Blue-billed Ducks are found only in the south-eastern and south-western parts of the Australian continent. Their range comprises basically all of Tasmania, VIC, NSW and the southernmost part of QLD, as well as the easternmost part of SA (including Innamincka), plus the south-west corner of WA.

During the breeding season they are mostly found in freshwater marshes with dense vegetation; during the rest of the year they also go into more open waters.

Sightings

Occasionally Blue-billed Ducks came to the dams on the property where we lived in 2003-2006, 20 km south of Narrabri, NSW, but we did not obtain any photos out in the wild. The close-up shots shown below were taken in captivity. Seen on Narrabri Lake in the 2010/11 breeding season, when first photos in the wild were obtained.

Twitcher's tip

The females of Blue-billed Duck and Musk Duck can be hard to distinguish. The most prominent difference is the shape of the bills. The female Blue-billed Duck has a typical "duck-like" bill, while that of the female Musk Duck is much more triangular and more reminiscent of a goose's bill.

Photos

Lateral view of a male Blue-billed Duck

Here a female bird is seen following a male

Here he is posing for her

Near-frontal view of a female Blue-billed Duck with its head turned

Lateral view of a female Blue-billed Duck

Here seen preening...

... and here scratching its head, exposing one of its black, webbed feet

Male Blue-billed Duck preening itself

Male Blue-billed Duck resting on a pond

Female Blue-billed Duck resting on a pond

Behaviour

A male was observed by us "patroling" a stretch of reeds, paddling both ways, either on open water or in or behind the reeds, as if to protect its territory. The male also repeatedly bobbed its head and tried to impress a female seen by us. If indeed territorial behaviour, Blue-billed Ducks may have been breeding at Narrabri Lake in the breeding season of 2010/11.

Food

Like all other geese, ducks and swans, Blue-billed Ducks are vegetarian. They feed on underwater plants.