Voice
Silent in flight. A low, resonant, querulous groan, often becoming drwan out and peevish, is uttered by both sexes. An 'axe-grind' sound is uttered by the male. A low buzz ending in a soft sqeak. A throaty, chuckle uttered by the female defending the nest or ducklings.
Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) [XC407746]
by id from Lake Wendouree, Ballarat City, Victoria, Australia (call)
Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) [XC407745]
by Frank Lambert from Lake Wendouree, Ballarat City, Victoria, Australia (call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
September - December or after substantial rainfall.
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Nest
Flat, composed of grass and herbage and lined with down, sometimes with a platform leading to it, usually well-hidden among herbage growing in or near water.
Eggs (Guide)
5 - 14, usually 7; smooth, glossy, cream or ivory; oval; about 60 - 65 x 45 - 48 mm. Incubation: about 28 - 36 days; by female.
Young
Precocial, nidifugous.
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Female, eclipse and immature Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) which sits higher in the water and has a stiff tail, in flight with Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) which has whiter under wing secondary coverts and a visible green speculum when viewed from above.
References
See References.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet