Pink-eared duck
Scientific name: Malacorhynchus membranaceus
- How weight is recorded: Whole weight
Field notes
Appearance
Small dabbling duck with distinctive pink ear-coverts and a steeply forehead profile. Males and females are similar in plumage—grey-brown overall with white face and dark crown; males show more pronounced pink ear patches.
Size and weight
Adult weight 0.3–0.5 kg; body length 35–40 cm. Sexes similar in size.
Habitat
Prefers shallow freshwater and brackish wetlands, swamps, and temporary water bodies with sparse emergent vegetation. Found from sea level to moderate elevations in arid and semi-arid regions.
Distribution
Endemic to inland Australia, from coastal NSW and Queensland to central inland basins. Nomadic, following water availability in arid and semi-arid zones.
Diet
Primarily feeds on aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and algae obtained by dabbling and upending in shallow water; diet shifts toward plant matter in drier seasons.
Behaviour
Crepuscular and nocturnal forager, active mainly at dawn and dusk. Highly social and gregarious, often in small flocks; flies swiftly and erratically in tight formation.
Hunting tips
Look for birds at dawn and dusk around shallow wetland margins and temporary lagoons; scan for pale face and ear patches at distance. Approach from downwind and use low vegetation as cover. Flush birds by wading slowly through shallows; they spring vertically and fly at speed in tight flocks.
Whole weight
This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.