Huge, spoon-shaped bill visible at a distance and in flight.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyDucks, Geese, and Waterfowl
SizeLarge
RarityRare
Habitatherbaceous graminoids sparse hummock grasses, irrigated farmland, open woodland, waterbodies, and sparse woodland
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from May.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Marc Anderson
Range map
Range map
30approx hotspots
705approx records
3states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Breeding males have dark green head, white breast, and chestnut sides and belly. Females buffy-brown with large, distinctive bill. Chalky-blue upperwing.
Behavior
Forages by sifting through the water, often swimming in spirals in groups.
Gallery
Regional timing
Victoria
South Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Western Australia
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Commonly confused with
Graylag GooseAnser anserLarge gray goose. Compare to other gray geese, which differ in details of bill pattern and color, head and neck pattern, and have dark underwings.→Australasian ShovelerSpatula rhynchotisCourtship in New Zealand starts around August which involves vocalisations from the drake (male) accompanied with head-bobbing whilst swimming toward the duck (female).→Freckled DuckStictonetta naevosaBeak is strongly curved like a ski-jump. Breeding males have a red base to their bill. Upper-wing is dark, while under-wing is paler gray. When perched, distinguish from Hardhead (which have a pale belly patch). More reliable inland, but can be common one year and absent the next from any given location.→