Musk Duck
Biziura lobata
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusBiziura (Musk Ducks)
- SpeciesBiziura lobata (Musk Duck)
About the Musk Duck
The musk duck (Biziura lobata) is a highly aquatic, stiff-tailed duck native to southern Australia. It is the only living member of the genus Biziura. An extinct relative, the New Zealand musk duck or de Lautour's duck (B. delautouri), once occurred on New Zealand, but is only known from prehistoric subfossil bones. It was about 8% longer than the living species, with a particularly large head.
This animal derives its common name from the peculiar musky odour it emanates during the breeding season. Musk ducks are moderately common through the Murray-Darling and Cooper Creek basins, and in the wetter, fertile areas in the south of the continent: the southwest corner of Western Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania.
Adult males are 60 to 70 cm (24 to 28 in) long and have a distinctive large, leathery lobe underneath the bill; females are 47 to 55 cm (19 to 22 in) long and unadorned. Their drab dark grey-brown, slightly pin-striped plumage is inconspicuous and does not differ between the sexes. This species weighs an average of 2,398 g (5.287 lb) in males and 1,551 g (3.419 lb) in females, with the smallest females weighing only 993 g (2.189 lb) and the largest males weighing... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Musk Duck in Great Otway National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Great Otway National Park
Pacific Black Duck
Anas superciliosa
Australian Wood Duck
Chenonetta jubata
Chestnut Teal
Anas castanea
Grey Teal
Anas gracilis
Black Swan
Cygnus atratus
Australian Shelduck
Tadorna tadornoides
White-eyed Duck
Aythya australis
Wandering Whistling Duck
Dendrocygna arcuata
Freckled Duck
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Australasian Shoveler
Spatula rhynchotis
Pink-eared Duck
Malacorhynchus membranaceus
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Musk Duck in Great Otway National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Musk Duck sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 56 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Musk Duck in Great Otway National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Musk Duck in Great Otway National Park in our monthly data.