Bird
Australian Shelduck
Tadorna tadornoidesAlso known as Chestnut-breasted Shelduck, Mountain Duck
Australian shelducks are imposing, goose-like waterfowl that graze in open pastures and marshy grasslands across southern Australia. Pairs form lifelong monogamous bonds and defend nesting territories fiercely, frequently selecting hollows high up in mature eucalyptus trees or even abandoned rabbit warrens. After breeding, thousands gather on large, permanent lakes to undertake a synchronous wing-moult, leaving them flightless for several weeks.
WaterfowlGrazingMonogamous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPasture grass shoots, Clover, Aquatic tubers
Predators
- Red Fox
- Wedge-tailed Eagle
- Peregrine Falcon
ThreatsWetland degradation, drought, hunting, and loss of mature nesting tree hollows
HabitatsLakes, farm dams, swamps, open agricultural pasture, and estuaries
Life span10–15 years
Classification
- OrderAnseriformes
- FamilyAnatidae
- GenusTadorna
- SpeciesTadorna tadornoides
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Binocular Distance: Scan open pasture or lake margins with optics to avoid flushing shy grazing flocks.
- Breeding Season Watch: Look for female birds bearing prominent white eye rings during late winter nesting periods.
- Tree Hollow Scans: Check large dead eucalyptus limbs near water for perched, watchful sentinels.
Frequent Companion (c) Tim, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tim · cc-by
Predator "Red Fox" by Mike's Birds is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Dave Young, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY 3.0 · cc-by
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