Raja Shelduck
Radjah radjah
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusRadjah
- SpeciesRadjah radjah (Raja Shelduck)
About the Raja Shelduck
The radjah shelduck (Radjah radjah) is a species of shelduck found mostly in New Guinea and Australia, and also on some of the Moluccas. It is known alternatively as the raja shelduck, black-backed shelduck, or in Australia as the Burdekin duck.
The specific name radjah is from the Moluccan name Radja for the radjah shelduck on the island of Buru in Indonesia. Formerly placed in the genus Tadorna, it differs markedly from other members in external morphology and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data, suggesting its status should be reinvestigated. Current classification places it as the only member of the genus Radjah.
Both the male and female of the species are mostly white, with dark wing-tips and a distinctive "collar" of dark feathers. When viewed from above, during flight or with wings outstretched, green bands are visible on the tops of their wings. To communicate, the female utters a harsh rattle while the male emits a breathy, "sore-throat" whistle.
The radjah shelduck inhabits the mangrove forests and coastline of New Guinea (West Papua and Papua New Guinea) and Australia, and some of the Moluccas in eastern Indonesia... Wikipedia →
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 5 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Raja Shelduck in Raja Ampat?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Raja Shelduck sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 268 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Raja Shelduck in Raja Ampat?
December has the highest sighting rate for Raja Shelduck in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.