Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Eastern Spot-billed Duck
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Anas zonorhyncha
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How to recognize it
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55–63 cm long
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Dark brown back with rusty mottling, paler sides
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Pale stripes above the eyes, narrow dark stripes through them
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Black bill with a yellow tip; blue-violet wing patch edged in white
About the species
Mostly grey-brown, with a paler head and neck, it has dark markings that give its body a scaled pattern. Its long neck and black bill tipped in bright yellow are easy to see when it rests on the water. A blue patch edged in white shows on each wing when it lifts off.
It dabbles for plant food, sweeping its bill through shallow water, and often feeds in the evening or after dark. Females give a loud quack, while males make lower, quieter calls, much like Mallards. Outside the breeding season, it gathers in small flocks.
Freshwater lakes and marshes in fairly open country are its usual habitat. It breeds across East and Southeast Asia, then moves south for winter, with southern China among its wintering areas. Breeding usually runs from April to July, but rainfall and water conditions can shift the timing.
Where to find
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At an open freshwater lake, look for the Eastern Spot-billed Duck dabbling for plant food, mainly in the evening or at night.
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Outside the breeding season, scan open marshes for small flocks; the ducks gather in groups then.
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Usually from April to July, look from a distance at vegetation beside water, where nests are built on the ground.
