Anas zonorhyncha
The Eastern Spot-billed Duck, Anas zonorhyncha, is a handsome, medium-sized dabbling duck, typically measuring 58-65 cm in length with a wingspan of 95-105 cm and weighing between 900-1500 grams. Its plumage is predominantly dark brown with a paler head and neck, a distinct black bill tipped bright yellow, and a prominent orange-red spot at the base of the upper mandible – a key identification feature distinguishing it from other dark-bodied ducks. This species belongs to the Anatidae family,...
Primarily found in freshwater wetlands such as lakes, rivers, marshes, and rice paddies, often in low-lying or agricultural areas.
Omnivorous, primarily consuming seeds, grains, aquatic vegetation, and invertebrates (insects, crustaceans) found in shallow water, mainly through dabbling.
Eastern Spot-billed Ducks are typically active during both day and night, spending their time foraging, preening, and resting, often congregating in communal roosts on water bodies or secluded banks. They are quintessential dabbling ducks, up-ending in shallow water to filter food from the bottom...
The Eastern Spot-billed Duck has a wide distribution across East Asia, primarily breeding from eastern Russia (Siberia, Sakhalin), northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and throughout the Japanese archipelago. Its breeding range extends southward to central China in some areas. During the non...
Least Concern
- The Eastern Spot-billed Duck was once considered a subspecies of the Indian Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) but is now recognized as a distinct species. - Despite its dark plumage, it is more closely related to the Mallard group of ducks than to some other dark-bodied ducks like the Amer...