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Mountain duck are found in Western Australia and in the south-east, but it's a rare bird
in Queensland and the Northern Territory. If you know what to look for, it shouldn't
be difficult to recognise the birds pitching in here. They’re mountain duck. The pattern
of the upper wing is a real giveaway. On the leading edge of each wing close to the body
is a large white patch, and along the trailing edge there are dull green feathers. Usually
only the white patches show. The under wing also has a large white patch. The black belly
contrasts with the orange breast. Mountain duck have a black head and neck and a white
collar. This one is a male. Females are the same except for some white face markings.
In flight, mountain duck often appear as large black and white birds. Only in good light
can you pick out the orange breast and white collar. Like the wood duck we looked at a little earlier,
mountain duck also show large, white wing patches in flight. But with this bird the
patches are on the leading edge of the wings. And there's also a large, white patch below
the wing.
Mountain duck are the largest Australian duck and not likely to be mistaken for anything
else. The dark wings and body contrasts sharply with the brilliant white wing patches which
could be seen from a long way off. Females and young birds have a white eye and white
face patch which you can see only when they are close-up. The male’s head is all dark.
In good light the chestnut fronts and the pale ring around the necks of male birds can
be seen some distance away. The green feathers on the rear of the upper wing are difficult to see except in very good
light. Mountain duck are much larger than all other game birds and they ride well up
out of the water. Although mountain ducks spend much of their time near water, they often fly a long way
to find pasture land and wheat stubble on which they graze. They sometimes move about
in large flocks. The wing beats are slow and often they'll just glide down to the water.
In a mixed flock, it's pretty easy to pick out the mountain duck. From the front or back
it's a little harder, but the white wing patches soon give it away, even in poor light. Sometimes they appear as black and white birds.
The honking calls are also easy to remember.
And on long flights they will often form V-formations, or they'll follow each other in long, straggly
lines.
Although mountain duck are slow fliers, they use their wings well, sometimes dropping down
quickly from a great height.
These, then, are the points you should remember. Large, white wing patches on the leading edge
of the upper wing, close to the body. And extensive white areas under the wings. It
is a large bird, easily picked out on the water or in a mixed flock. The wing beats
are slower than most other ducks and quite often they'll glide a long way down to the
water or pasture.