Knob-billed duck

Scientific name: Sarkidiornis melanotos

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Large dark duck with glossy greenish-black plumage on head and neck; males develop a prominent knob on the forehead. Females duller and lack the forehead knob; both sexes show white wing patches in flight.

Size and weight

Males 61–76 cm, 1.5–2.2 kg; females 56–63 cm, 1.2–1.8 kg.

Habitat

Favours freshwater lakes, marshes, and wetlands with open water and emergent vegetation, typically in lowland and subtropical regions. Often found in floodplain areas and man-made reservoirs.

Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and southern Asia (Indian subcontinent through to Southeast Asia). Prefers shallow freshwater wetlands in warm climates.

Diet

Primarily aquatic vegetation and seeds; supplements with insects, small fish, and crustaceans when breeding.

Behaviour

Diurnal and crepuscular; often seen in pairs or small flocks, roosting on open water. Relatively sedentary but relocates seasonally to track water levels and food availability.

Hunting tips

Glass open water margins at dawn and dusk when birds move between roost and feeding areas. Look for distinctive webbed tracks and cylindrical droppings in soft mud near shorelines. Approach from downwind along vegetation edges, using available reeds or shrubs as cover; these ducks are wary and require careful stalking.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 11 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.