Malacorhynchus membranaceus
The Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) is a distinctive and highly specialized waterfowl species endemic to Australia. Measuring 38-45 cm in length and weighing 300-450g, its most striking feature is a large, grey, spatulate bill with fine lamellae, uniquely adapted for filter-feeding. Its plumage is finely barred black and white across the body, complemented by a white face, dark crown, and a prominent round pink patch located just behind the eye, giving the species its common nam...
Primarily inhabits shallow, often turbid and ephemeral inland wetlands, floodplains, swamps, and claypans, typically at low elevations. It can also be found in sewage ponds and tolerates moderately saline waters.
Feeds primarily on microscopic zooplankton, phytoplankton, and algae. It also consumes small aquatic invertebrates and their larvae, filtering them from the water with its highly specialized bill.
The Pink-eared Duck is largely diurnal, spending its days actively foraging and resting in open water, sometimes perching in trees. Its unique foraging strategy involves swimming with its head half-submerged, sweeping its specialized bill from side to side to filter microscopic organisms from the...
The Pink-eared Duck is endemic to Australia, with its core range encompassing the vast inland ephemeral wetlands of the continent. It is widely distributed across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia, particularly within the expansive Murray-Darling Basin and the Great Artes...
Least Concern
- The Pink-eared Duck possesses a unique spatulate bill, lined with fine lamellae, making it one of the most specialized filter-feeding birds in the world. - Its breeding is highly opportunistic, triggered by rainfall and flooding across inland Australia, allowing it to breed rapidly when conditi...