Birds
File:Malacorhynchus membranaceus - Bushell's Lagoon.jpg

Pink-eared Duck

Pink-eared Duck

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Spotted
The Pink-eared Duck is a distinctive Australian duck known for its unique, shovel-shaped bill and a small, iridescent pink patch located behind its eye. It is a highly specialized filter-feeder of tiny aquatic organisms.
Where to spot
Endemic to Australia, found across inland wetlands, swamps, and floodplains, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Its presence is often tied to episodic flooding events.
How to spot
Look for its unique bill shape and the small pink spot behind the eye, which can be hard to see without good light. They often feed in groups, swimming in circles to create currents that concentrate food particles. Scan open water bodies with binoculars.
When to spot
Year-round; populations can be highly nomadic, moving considerable distances in response to rainfall and the availability of water bodies. Best observed when inland waters are abundant.
File:Malacorhynchus membranaceus - Bushell's Lagoon.jpg
File:Malacorhynchus membranaceus - Christopher Watson.jpg
File:Malacorhynchus membranaceus CAF - Bushell's Lagoon.jpg
File:Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) (31168113351).jpg
File:Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) (8079568250).jpg
File:Malacorhynchus membranaceus - Bushell's Lagoon.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Malacorhynchus membranaceus - Christopher Watson.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Malacorhynchus membranaceus CAF - Bushell's Lagoon.jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) (31168113351).jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
File:Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) (8079568250).jpg
Credits: Wikimedia Commons
The Pink-eared Duck's unique bill is specially adapted for filter-feeding, similar to a baleen whale's mouth. It allows the duck to sieve minute plankton and invertebrates from the water efficiently.
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