Photo: Valorix / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Blue-billed Duck

Oxyura australis

Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australian Capital Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of New South Wales Ducks, Geese & Swans of Northern Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of Queensland Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Tasmania Ducks, Geese & Swans of Victoria Ducks, Geese & Swans of Western Australia

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The Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 798 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Oxyura
Species australis

Where it lives

Southwestern WA, southwestern QLD to southern VIC and southeastern SA and Tasmania (southwestern, southeastern Australia)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 798 g
Diet: Aquatic plant-eaters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Endangered

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Blue-billed Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Blue-billed Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) is a member of the Anatidae family, within the order Anseriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU sw WA, sw QLD to s VIC and se SA and Tasmania (sw, se Australia).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 798 g, with a wing length of about 15.4 cm and a tail of around 6.2 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 545,000 km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Blue-billed Duck?

The Blue-billed Duck is a large bird that weighs around 798 g.

Where does the Blue-billed Duck live?

The Blue-billed Duck is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU sw WA, sw QLD to s VIC and se SA and Tasmania (sw, se Australia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Blue-billed Duck belong to?

The Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Blue-billed Duck eat?

The Blue-billed Duck feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Does the Blue-billed Duck migrate?

The Blue-billed Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Blue-billed Duck endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

How large is the Blue-billed Duck's range?

The Blue-billed Duck has a mapped global range of about 545,000 km².