Spot-billed Duck

Overview

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.

Range and Habitat

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

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.