Blue-billed Duck - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Oxyura australis

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 18 Mar 2022

Description

The Blue-billed Duck is one of only two Australian species of stiff-tailed ducks - diving ducks with spine-like tail-feathers. It is a small and compact duck, with a length of 40 cm. During the summer breeding season the male's bill turns bright blue. In the breeding season, the male's head and neck are glossy black, and the back and wings are a rich chestnut to dark-brown. The female is brownish-black above, with narrow bands of light brown and mottled light brown and black below. The female's bill is dark grey-green. In the non-breeding season the male resembles a dark female. However, some males maintain their breeding plumage year round. The tail is usually held flat on the water, although during courtship, or when alarmed, it is held fully erect.

Distribution

The Blue-billed Duck is endemic to south-eastern and south-western Australia. It is widespread in NSW, but most common in the southern Murray-Darling Basin area. Birds disperse during the breeding season to deep swamps up to 300 km away. It is generally only during summer or in drier years that they are seen in coastal areas.

Habitat and ecology

The Blue-billed Duck prefers deep water in large permanent wetlands and swamps with dense aquatic vegetation. The species is completely aquatic, swimming low in the water along the edge of dense cover. It will fly if disturbed, but prefers to dive if approached.
Blue-billed Ducks will feed by day far from the shore, particularly if dense cover is available in the central parts of the wetland. They feed on the bottom of swamps eating seeds, buds, stems, leaves, fruit and small aquatic insects such as the larvae of midges, caddisflies and dragonflies.
Blue-billed Ducks are partly migratory, with short-distance movements between breeding swamps and overwintering lakes with some long-distance dispersal to breed during spring and early summer.
Blue-billed Ducks usually nest solitarily in Cumbungi over deep water between September and February. They will also nest in trampled vegetation in Lignum, sedges or Spike-rushes, where a bowl-shaped nest is constructed. The most common clutch size is five or six. Males take no part in nest-building or incubation.
Young birds disperse in April-May from their breeding swamps in inland NSW to non-breeding areas on the Murray River system and coastal lakes.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Destruction or degradation of breeding habitat through drainage, flood mitigation works and ground water extraction
Rubbish dumping
Frequent burning which reduces the floristic diversity and simpifies the structure of the breeding and foraging habitat.
Regulation of river flows and water harvesting schemes can poses a major threat to flooding regimes of wetland breeding areas.
Clearing and overgrazing of Cumbungi and Lignum.
Increased salinity can result in degradation and loss of tall dense wetland vegetation used for nesting.
Illegal hunting.
Pesticides and herbicide pollution of wetlands.
Predation and disturbance by foxes, pigs and cats.
Simplification of breeding and foraging habitat structure caused by weeds.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Retain or reintroduce ecologically sustainable water flows to wetland and swamp habitat. Allow swamps to be flooded periodically and floodwaters to recede naturally.
Develop salinity management plans for affected catchments.
Avoid heavy, prolonged heavy grazing on Cumbungi and Lignum sites. This could be done through a whole farm plan which identifies areas to be fenced and destocked.
Makes sure pesticides and herbicides are kept well away from wetlands.
Assist in determining distribution and population size by recording sightings and submitting them to the NSW BioNet Atlas.
Report illegal hunting to DPE.

Information sources

Frith, H.J. (1977) Waterfowl in Australia. Angus and Robertson, Sydney.
Marchant, S. and Higgins P.J. (Eds) (1990) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 1: Ratites to Ducks. (Oxford University Press, Melbourne)
Martindale, J. (1986) The Freckled Duck. RAOU Report No. 22. RAOU, Melbourne.
Pringle, J.D. (1985) The Waterbirds of Australia. (Angus and Robertson Publishers, Sydney)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Plains	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Range	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Moonie-Barwon Interfluve	Predicted	None
Brigalow Belt South	Narrandool	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Northern Basalts	Predicted	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga	Predicted	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga Outwash	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Talbragar Valley	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Barrier Range	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Barrier Range Outwash	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Mootwingee Downs	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Scopes Range	Predicted	None
Channel Country	Bulloo	Known	None
Channel Country	Bulloo Dunefields	Known	None
Channel Country	Central Depression	Known	None
Channel Country	Core Ranges	Predicted	None
Channel Country	Sturt Stony Desert	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Barnato Downs	Predicted	None
Cobar Peneplain	Boorindal Plains	Predicted	None
Cobar Peneplain	Canbelego Downs	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Lachlan Plains	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Nymagee	Predicted	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Bogan-Macquarie	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Castlereagh-Barwon	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Culgoa-Bokhara	Predicted	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Louth Plains	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Menindee	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Warrambool-Moonie	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Wilcannia Plains	Known	None
Mulga Lands	Cuttaburra-Paroo	Known	None
Mulga Lands	Kerribree Basin	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Nebine Plains	Known	None
Mulga Lands	Paroo Overflow	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Paroo-Darling Sands	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Urisino Sandplains	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Warrego Plains	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Warrego Sands	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	West Warrego	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	White Cliffs Plateau	Known	None
Murray Darling Depression	Darling Depression	Predicted	None
Murray Darling Depression	South Olary Plain	Known	None
Nandewar	Inverell Basalts	Known	None
Nandewar	Peel	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Armidale Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Bundarra Downs	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Deepwater Downs	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Glenn Innes-Guyra Basalts	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Moredun Volcanics	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Nightcap	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Severn River Volcanics	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Wongwibinda Plateau	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Yarrowyck-Kentucky Downs	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Hunter	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Inland Slopes	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Ocean - Other State	Southern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Other State	ACT	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
Other State	SA	Known	None
Other State	VIC	Known	None
Riverina	Lachlan	Known	None
Riverina	Murray Fans	Known	None
Riverina	Murray Scroll Belt	Known	None
Riverina	Murrumbidgee	Known	None
Riverina	Robinvale Plains	Known	None
Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields	Strzelecki Desert	Known	None
South East Corner	South East Coastal Ranges	Predicted	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bathurst	Predicted	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bondo	Predicted	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bungonia	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Capertee Uplands	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Hill End	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Monaro	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Murrumbateman	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Oberon	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Orange	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Burringbar-Conondale Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Burragorang	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Cumberland	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Hunter	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Illawarra	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Kerrabee	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Moss Vale	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wollemi	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None