Photo: JJ Harrison (https://tiny.jjharrison.com.au/t/VcHWJIMlVY6vk6hU) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Hardhead

Aythya australis

Hardhead (Aythya australis) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Germany Birds of Indonesia Birds of New Zealand Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Germany Ducks, Geese & Swans of Indonesia Ducks, Geese & Swans of New Zealand 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

See what's near you right now

The Hardhead (Aythya australis) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 869 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 Aythya
Species australis

Where it lives

Australia and Tasmania, New Zealand, Grande Terre (New Caledonia) and Banks Is. to Tanna (north to southern Vanuatu)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 869 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Southern Pochard

Netta erythrophthalma

Critically Endangered

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Hardhead hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

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

Migration

The Hardhead is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Hardhead (Aythya australis) is a member of the Anatidae family, within the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia and Tasmania, New Zealand, Grande Terre (New Caledonia) and Banks Is. to Tanna (n to s Vanuatu).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 869 g, with a wing length of about 21.4 cm and a tail of around 5.6 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 6.8 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Hardhead?

The Hardhead is a large bird that weighs around 869 g.

Where does the Hardhead live?

The Hardhead is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia and Tasmania, New Zealand, Grande Terre (New Caledonia) and Banks Is. to Tanna (n to s Vanuatu), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Hardhead belong to?

The Hardhead (Aythya australis) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Hardhead eat?

The Hardhead hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Hardhead migrate?

The Hardhead is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Hardhead 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 Hardhead's range?

The Hardhead has a mapped global range of about 6.8 million km².