The Australian wood duck, also known as the maned duck or maned goose (Chenonetta jubata), may be found across most of Australia. In the genus Chenonetta, only this one species is still alive.
Fun Facts
- Unwary ANU students frequently depart from overly cautious parents in the spring. Students frequently avoid the species as a result for the most of the school year.
- The species is a well-liked game bird because it is permitted for leisure hunting in several states.
Description
The male is gray with a speckled breast and a dark brown head. The female has speckled underparts and white bars above and below each eye. Both sexes have gray wings with black primaries and a white speculum. Although they are lighter and have more speckled breasts, female juveniles resemble adult females.
Predators
When in water or exposed on land, Black Rats (Rattus Rattus), Silver Gulls (Larus novaehollandiae), and Swamp Harriers (Circus approximans) may prey on the species.
Diet
The Australian wood duck occasionally consumes insects in addition to eating grasses, grains, clover, and other herbs. It prefers to forage by dipping its toes in shallow water, or in grasslands and crops, and is rarely seen on open water.
Habitat
Tasmania is one of the many locations where the Australian wood duck may be found. Grasslands, open forests, wetlands, flooded pastures, and inlets and bays along the coast are all places where you can find Australian wood ducks. It is also typical around rice fields, sewage ponds, urban parks, and farms with dams. It loves to graze on land, therefore it will frequently be seen near deeper lakes that may not be suited for other water birds to forage.
As Pet
Since the government protects wood ducks and it is against the law to own one, they cannot be domesticated.
