Distribution and Habitat

The Wood Duck is widely distributed and is common throughout Australia. However, it is rare and considered to be a vagrant in tropical Australia and Tasmania. The Wood Duck prefers lightly timbered country near water, be it swamps, dams, rivers or other waterways, where there is short grass or herbage beneath the trees. It is seldom found in dense or extensive swamps and avoids brackish or saline water.

Status

The Wood Duck is available for recreational hunting in Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Description

The Wood Duck is a medium-sized goose-like duck with long legs, extended neck, short head and is related to the pygmy-geese of tropical Australia.

In flight, the Wood Duck has slow wing beats, large white patches on the rear of the upperwing near the body and a white triangle on the upperwing near the body. The male has a black undertail and belly while the female has a white belly and eyestripes.

On the water or on land, the Wood Duck is a medium-sized, light-coloured duck with a dark head, a characteristic high-tailed posture on water and erect posture on land.

Voice

Drawn-out nasal mew. Shorter and higher pitched in the male than the female.