Spot-billed Duck

Anas poecilorhyncha Order: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)
Spot-billed Duck Portrait
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General

Spot-billed Duck: Native of Asia, named for red spots at base of yellow-tipped black bill; however, the subspecies occurring in North America generally lacks these red spots. Scaled brown overall with buff face, neck and upper breast, and dark crown, nape and eyestripe. Speculum is blue with white borders; legs and feet are orange. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is grayer overall.

Range and Habitat

Spot-billed Duck: Common in its native Asia, found in lakes, rivers, ponds, and freshwater marshes.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

No data available.

Interesting Facts

 The Spot-billed Duck was first described in 1781 by Johann Reinhold Forster, a German naturalist

 It is known to produce fertile hybrids with the Pacific Black Duck and the Philippine Duck in captivity, and naturally hybridizes with the Mallard as their ranges now overlap due to the Spotbill's northward expansion.

 A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks.



Author

Jane Wright Splitbar
Range Map for Spot-billed Duck

Related Birds

Mallard
American Black Duck
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Family Dabbling Ducks (Anatidae)_blue
Species Anas poecilorhyncha
Length21 - 23 Inches
Wingspan32 Inches

Spot-billed Duck

Spot-billed Duck: Native of Asia, named for red spots at base of yellow-tipped black bill; subspecies occurring in North America generally lacks these spots. Scaled brown overall with buff face, neck, upper breast. Dark crown, nape, eyestripe. Blue speculum with white borders; orange legs and feet.

● Song: No data available.

● Foraging & Feeding: Spot-billed Duck: Eats aquatic plants, seeds, and snails by dabbling in water with head in water and tail pointed up.

● Breeding & nesting: Spot-billed Duck: Seven to ten white eggs are laid in a nest lined with feathers and down on dry ground on top of a thick pile of moss or grasses. Female incubates eggs from 26 to 30 days.

● Similar species: Spot-billed Duck: Female Mallard has yellow-orange bill with dark mottling and metallic blue speculum with white border. American Black Duck is black-brown overall, yellow bill with black tip and purple-blue speculum with black border.

Flight Pattern

Swift strong direct flight on rapidly beating wings.
Spot-billed Duck Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Spot-billed Duck: Common in its native Asia, found in lakes, rivers, ponds, and freshwater marshes.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationCasual to accidental
MigrationMigratory
Weight2.2 Ounces