From Opus

Photograhp: davidfree
Bold Park, Perth, Western Australia, October 2007

Tadorna tadornoides

[edit] Identification

In flight, upperwing and underwing coverts are mainly white. Upperwing secondaries are green, while flight feathers are black seen from below. The body is mainly dark blackish-brown, breast and scapulars are chestnut, head is dark or sometimes described as having green iridiscence. Mid neck is a narrow white ring. Female is recognized by her white eye-ring.

Photo by Nora
Point Cook Melbourne, Australia, October 2007

[edit] Distribution

Found in the southern half of eastern mainland Australia, Tasmania, and the south-west quarter of mainland Australia.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].

[edit] Habitat

Shallow water of any kind; nest is sometimes far from nearest water.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

They breed in tree holes, holes in banks or similar and the nest is lined with down. Only the female incubates the eggs.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes grass on land or in shallow water, algae, insects and molluscs.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Pizzey, G. & Knight, F. 1997. Birds of Australia (Collins Field Guide). HarperCollins Publishers, London. ISBN 0-00-220132-1
3. Wikipedia

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• Arthur Grosset's Birds