Plumed Ducks in a Row

Explanation: Got all your ducks in a row? Welcome to the tropical "Top End" of Northern Territory, Australia, and in particular to Hardies Lagoon in Mary River National Park.

Out in the wetland -- the billabong -- are these fine examples of Plumed Whistling-Ducks, well-named for sporting the finest in plumage.

The plumes apparently serve little purpose other than to mark the species ... and perhaps for the males to display for garnering "favors" from the females, what Darwin called "sexual selection."

Their habitat includes many forms of wetlands, including creeks, swamps, lagoons, and even mangrove estuaries. They breed by nesting in upland areas of grass and forbs.

Plumed Whistling-Ducks are native to Australia and occur as vagrants in southeast Asia and New Zealand. Although not of threatened status, and continue to occur widely throughout their primary range, their overall population trends are unknown. Their susceptibility to outbreaks of the avian influenza ("bird flu") virus, botulism, and other diseases apparently is not well studied.

Information:
     East, I.J., S. Hamilton, and G. Garner. 2008. Identifying areas of Australia at risk of H5N1 avian influenza infection from exposure to migratory birds: a spatial analysis. Geospatial Health 2(2):203-213.
     Woodall, P.F. 1982. Botulism outbreak in waterbirds at Seven-Mile Lagoon in south-east Queensland. Australian Wildlife Research 9(3):533-539.

EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week