Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Musk Duck

Biziura lobata

Musk Duck (Biziura lobata) — 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

See what's near you right now

The Musk Duck (Biziura lobata) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 1.9 kg. 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 Biziura
Species lobata

Where it lives

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

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 1.9 kg
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Endangered

Blue Duck

Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Musk Duck hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

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

Migration

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

The Musk Duck (Biziura lobata) is a member of the Anatidae family, within the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally 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 very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.9 kg, with a wing length of about 21.2 cm and a tail of around 10.5 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 1.2 million km².

Songs & calls

Musk Duck — Song

Recorded by Peter Boesman Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Musk Duck?

The Musk Duck is a very large bird that weighs around 1.9 kg.

Where does the Musk Duck live?

The Musk 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 Musk Duck belong to?

The Musk Duck (Biziura lobata) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Musk Duck eat?

The Musk Duck hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Musk Duck migrate?

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

Is the Musk 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.

What sound does the Musk Duck make?

1 real field recording of the Musk Duck — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Musk Duck's range?

The Musk Duck has a mapped global range of about 1.2 million km².