View source for Biology:Australian shelduck

{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Australian shelduck
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Tadorna tadornoides'' |volume=2016 |page=e.T22680011A92838835 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680011A92838835.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| image =Tadorna_tadornoides_female_1_-_Perth.jpg
| image_caption = Female
| image2 =Tadorna_tadornoides_male_1_-_Perth.jpg
| image2_caption = Male
| genus = Tadorna
| species = tadornoides
| authority = (Jardine & Selby, 1828)
| range_map = Australian Shelduck2.png
| range_map_caption = Distribution
}}

The '''Australian shelduck''' ('''''Tadorna tadornoides'''''), also known as the '''chestnut-breasted shelduck''' or '''mountain duck''', is a [[Biology:Shelduck|shelduck]], a group of large [[Biology:Goose|goose]]-like [[Biology:Duck|duck]]s part of the bird family [[Biology:Anatidae|Anatidae]]. The genus name ''Tadorna'' comes from Celtic roots and means "pied waterfowl".<ref name="Kear">{{cite book| last =Kear| first =Janet| title =Ducks, Geese, and Swans| publisher =Oxford University Press| year =2005| pages =420| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=MfrdBcKd79wC&q=crested+shelduck&pg=RA1-PA439| isbn =0-19-861008-4 }}</ref> They have a striking chestnut-coloured breast and black body. They are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

==Taxonomy and naming==

William Jardine and Prideaux John Selby described the Australian shelduck in 1828.

==Description==
The males are mostly dark, with a chestnut breast. They have white neck collars and dark green heads. The females are similar, but they have white around the eyes and are smaller. Both males and females have chestnut and black wings with a green speculum, and show some white on their wings during flight.<ref name="Wildfowl 2">{{cite book|last=Kightley|first=Chris|title=Wildfowl|year=2010|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1408138953|page=165|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gFawO8q9VfIC&q=Australian+Shelduck&pg=PA165}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Birdlife Australia |url=https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/australian-shelduck}}</ref>

The downy young are white with a brown crown and brown stripes from crown to tail. Juvenile males are duller than the adults and also lack a white collar, while juvenile females have a lot more white on their excluding their crown.

The vocal calls of the male are a deep honk similar to a goose, while the female's call is a high pitched and penetrating "zeek, zeek".

The size range of the Australian Shelduck is {{convert|56-72|cm|in}}, have a wingspan of 94-132cm (37-52in), and weigh between 1.3-1.6 kilograms (2.8-3.5lb).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australian Shelduck |url=https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/australian-shelduck/australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/australian-shelduck/ |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=The Australian Museum |language=en}}</ref> <ref name=hanzab>{{cite book | editor1-last=Marchant | editor1-first=S. | editor2-last=Higgins | editor2-first=P.G. | year=1990 | chapter=Australian shelduck  | title=Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds. Volume 1: Ratites to ducks; Part B, Australian pelican to ducks | location=Melbourne, Victoria | publisher=Oxford University Press | isbn=978-0-19-553068-1 | pages=1202–1210 | chapter-url=https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/sites/all/files/019_Chestnut%20Breasted%20Shelduck.pdf }}</ref>


==Distribution and habitat==
The Australian shelduck mainly breeds in southern Australia and Tasmania and is still fairly common.<ref name="Wildfowl">{{cite book| last1 =Ogilvie| first1 =Malcolm Alexander| last2 =Young| first2 =Steve| title =Wildfowl of the World| publisher =New Holland Publishers| year =2002| pages =60| isbn =1-84330-328-0}}</ref> In the winter, many birds move farther north than the breeding range. As with other shelducks, this species has favourite [[Biology:Moulting|moulting]] grounds, such as Lake George, New South Wales, where sizeable concentrations occur. The Australian shelduck's primary habitat is lakes in fairly open country.

==Behaviour and ecology==
Australian Shelducks can be seen in flocks of up to 1000 or more. They are extremely wary of humans and will often call in their presence, but they can get used to people in urban areas. They are upright on land when grazing, and in the water where they sit high. Young birds dive frequently, but adult birds only dive during moulting when they are flightless, or when they are injured or scared.<ref name="New Zealand birds online">{{cite web |title=New Zealand birds online |url=https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/chestnut-breasted-shelduck}}</ref>

===Breeding===
Australian Shelducks often make their nests in tree holes lined with down, holes in banks, or similar locations.<ref name="New Zealand birds online"/> Eight to fifteen eggs are laid, and incubated for between thirty and thirty-three days. After leaving the nesting hollow, the downy and flightless young often aggregate in crèches of 20-40 birds, and even up to 100 birds rarely.<ref name="New Zealand birds online"/>

===Food and Feeding===
Australian Shelducks feed by grazing, dabbling and filtering. The eat tubers and other plant material, such as saltbush and samphire, along with a range of insects, crustaceans and molluscs.<ref name="New Zealand birds online"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q761809}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:shelduck, Australian}}
[[Category:Tadorna|Australian shelduck]]

{{Sourceattribution|Australian shelduck}}