This unusual and distinctively marked duck is possibly the greatest inland nomad among our Anatidae. It is unusual enough to have it’s own genus and is endemic to Australia. There has been some convergent evolution with one of the Anas genus, the Australian Shoveler adapting to similar feeding techniques but it is much more sedentary.
Both species are filter feeders hunting very small aquatic animals, with a small amount of vegetable matter as well. But while the Shoveler is more restricted to the south-east and south-west of the continent, the Pink-eared Duck travels all over with the exception of the northern extremities and the central southern desert. The latter is well adapted to following flood events through the inland and will only breed after these events when the water level is falling and their food is more abundant. At times when the flooding has subsided these birds can occur in a variety of wetland habitats, including city parks, mangrove swamps and estuaries.
It is often found in large flocks as they follow the floodwaters, but at other times they disperse widely and in smaller groups. They can be relatively tame and are a spectacular sight with their distinctive head colouring and striped lower body. There is no difference between the sexes and the juveniles are simply paler versions of the adult. Their call is a high chirruping whistle mainly given when in flight, and after being disturbed the flock will circle noisily before returning.
The breeding season is simply any time after wet weather when conditions are suitable, and the nest is mainly down feathers hidden in inundated grassland or occasionally in a low tree hollow. Most of the nests have been previously used by other waterbird species. There are usually about seven eggs to a clutch and the female will incubate them for 26 days. After hatching both parents care for the chicks. When conditions are favourable aggregations of almost 100,000 pairs have been noted in south-west New South Wales.
Their feeding is conducted in areas of shallow water, either on the surface or at depths up to their body length (surface bobbing). The technique of vortex feeding is sometimes used by two birds, rotating at the surface in close proximity, head to tail, so that animals are stirred up from the bottom by a suction process. A similar habit is for birds to swim in a V-formation so that each benefits from food stirred up by the bird in front of them. Or another variation is for a larger group to all work together in a small area, in a swirling circular pattern to stir up the aquatic animals from the bottom. (see eBird website for videos of these forms of feeding in their Macaulay Library – especially the one by Stephen Wallace dated June 2013 and the one by Colin Trainor dated March 2019).
The mobility of this species is emphasized through the Eastern Australia Aerial Surveys which have shown populations fluctuating between 121,000 and 12,000. And while the Pink-eared Duck is on the list of game birds in Victoria, the numbers taken are generally lower than some other species.
Reference:
- BirdLife Australia (2023). Pink-eared Duck. [Text before updates sourced from: Marchant, S. et al (eds) 1990-2006 Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 1 to 7.] Source: online: Accessed: March 4, 2026
