Stats

Lifespan

10-15 yrs

Size

Medium

Diet

Herbivore

Activity

Nocturnal

Social

Flock

Biome

Freshwater wetland

Range

Australia

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Herd Safety

Status

Uncommon

About

Plumed whistling-ducks, also called grass whistling ducks, are resident and breed in Australia, in a broad arc covering the northern half and most of the eastern third of the continent. There are also non-breeding and seasonally uncertain populations in New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A clutch of eggs rests in a down-lined nest near water, covered and warmed by the brooding female.
2. 2.
   hatchling

   A downy hatchling follows its mother to the water within hours and feeds itself almost immediately.
3. 3.
   juvenile

   A juvenile grows its first true feathers, swimming in the family group and learning to dabble or dive.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown with adult plumage.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Anseriformes

Family

Anatidae

Genus

Dendrocygna

Species

Dendrocygna eytoni