The Pacific Black Duck

Introduction The Pacific Black Duck is an interesting bird which lives in the Macquarie Marshes. The Pacific Black Ducks scientific name is Anas superciliosa. Pacific Black Duck

Description The Pacific Black Duck has a minimum size of 50 centimetres, the maximum size is 60 centimetres and the average size is 55 centimetres. The Pacific Black duck is mostly a mid brown colour and every feather is edged buff. It has a characteristic head pattern. The Pacific Black duck has a dark brown line through the middle of the eye. It has 2 legs with dark blue webbed feet. It is bordered cream above and below on the body and has a dark brown crown. The upper wing colour is the same colour as the back. It has a bright glossy green path in the secondary feathers. The white under the wings are conspicuous in flight.

Diet The Pacific Black Duck is mainly a vegetarian. It will feed on seeds and aquatic plants and insects. The food is obtained by dabbling. The bird will plunge its head and neck under water with its upend raising the rear end vertically out of the water occasionally food is sought on land and in damp grassy areas.

Habitat The Pacific Black Duck is one the most versatile ducks in Australia. It is frequent in all types of water from isolated forest pools to tidal mudflats. The Pacific Black Duck are usually seen in pairs or in small flocks and readily mix in with other ducks.

Life cycle breeding season is highly variable in the Pacific Ocean. They have to mate before the female can lay 16 eggs. The eggs are a white colour all over. Then later on her eggs will turn into little ducklings. The number of ducklings might seem quite high, but only 20% of these ducks will survive. Then when they get older they fly away and find a female duck to mate with. Pacific Black Duck with her ducklings

Threatened/endangered No. It is secure all over Australia. So if it is hunted in one area it will fly to another area in the Pacific Ocean. Although the Pacific Black Duck is a heavily hunted duck in Australia. We could help the duck by stop shooting them so that one day they won’t be endangered. As well as tagging them so we can see what they do and where they get shot.

Bibliography (13 th June 2008) ‘Pacific Black Duck’ [online] [online] [Accessed 18th June 2010]