Pacific Black Duck

1. Cream-coloured head with bold black eye and crown stripes.

2. Iridescent green-purple wing patch bordered by black and white.

3. Scalloped brown body with buff-edged feathers.

These ducks primarily feed on seeds from aquatic plants but also consume insects, small crustaceans, and mollusks. They forage by dabbling at the surface or upending to reach submerged food. Breeding typically occurs from August to December. Females lay 8–12 cream-coloured eggs in tree hollows or well-hidden ground nests lined with down feathers for insulation. Ducklings leave the nest within a day of hatching and remain with their mother for about two months. Hybridisation with introduced Mallards poses a significant threat to their genetic integrity in urban areas.

Pacific Black Ducks inhabit a wide range of wetland environments, including freshwater lakes, rivers, swamps, estuaries, and urban ponds. They prefer shallow wetlands with abundant vegetation but can adapt to artificial water bodies like farm dams and ornamental lakes. Often seen dabbling in shallow water or resting on grassy banks, they are most active at dawn and dusk. During dry periods, they gather at permanent water sources, sometimes forming larger flocks.

The Pacific Black Duck has been integral to Australian ecosystems for thousands of years. Indigenous Australians traditionally hunted these ducks for food and observed their behavior as indicators of seasonal changes. Today, they remain an important part of wetland biodiversity and are protected under regulated hunting laws to ensure sustainable populations.