Oxyura australis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The blue-billed duck (Oxyura australis) is a small Australian stiff-tailed duck, with both the male and female growing to a length of 40 cm (16 in). The male has a slate-blue bill which changes to bright-blue during the breeding season, hence the duck's common name. The male has deep chestnut plumage during breeding season, reverting to a dark grey. The female retains black plumage with brown tips all year round. The duck is endemic to Australia's temperate regions, inhabiting natural inland wetlands and also artificial wetlands, such as sewage ponds, in large numbers. It can be difficult to observe due to its cryptic nature during its breeding season through autumn and winter. The male duck exhibits a complex mating ritual. The blue-billed duck is omnivorous, with a preference for small aquatic invertebrates. BirdLife International has classified this species as Least concern. Major threats include drainage of deep permanent wetlands, or their degradation as a result of introduced fish, peripheral cattle grazing, salinization, and lowering of ground water.
The blue-billed duck was described in 1836 by ornithologist John Gould. The specific name australis is derived from... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Healesville Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Houston Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Melbourne Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Perth Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Caversham Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-billed Duck sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 1,312 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 84th most-seen of the 236 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–February and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-billed Duck in Melbourne on a given day, against under 5% in March–September and November–December, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Blue-billed Duck sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Blue-billed Duck sightings, Melbourne ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Perth (Australia, about 20%).
Same family: Anatidae
The closest relatives of the Blue-billed Duck that you can see in Melbourne (family Anatidae, Ducks, Geese, and Swans) are Pacific Black Duck (about 60%), Chestnut Teal (about 50%) and Australian Wood Duck (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Blue-billed Duck is recorded against all the birds logged in Melbourne (1,312 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
