Australian Wood Ducks

Description:

The Australian Wood Duck is a dabbling duck found throughout much of Australia. It is the only living species in the genus Chenonetta, and is a member of the family Anatidae. This 45–51 cm duck looks like a small goose, and feeds mostly by grazing in flocks. Sexes are easy to tell apart - the male is grey with a dark brown head and mottled breast, and the female has white stripes above and below the eye and mottled underparts. I think they are beautiful birds.

Habitat:

Found in grasslands, open woodlands, wetlands, flooded pastures and along the coast in inlets and bays. It is also common on farmland with dams, as well as around rice fields, sewage ponds and in urban parks. This spotting was at the freshwater lake on the University of Queensland Campus, Brisbane. A serious algal bloom has affected water quality at the lakes for the past 12 months or so, and I don't know how this would affect aquatic birds like the Australian Wood Ducks. https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2019/...

Notes:

The water quality in the lake is currently very poor due to an algal bloom. It is the worst I have ever seen in all the years that I've been coming here. I can only suggest it's due to the current, persistent drought. We've had very little rainfall these past few months to replenish the water, and an excess of nutrients such as phosphate causes the bloom. Animals have to poo, right?