Wildlifeof Nepal
Chinese Spot-billed Duck
Ducks, Geese & Grebes
Photo: (c) mami_t_t, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Anas zonorhyncha
Basic stats
Diet
Plant food, taken by dabbling mainly in the evening or at night
Habitat
Freshwater lakes and marshes in fairly open country
Range
Breeds in East and Southeast Asia; winters in southern China
Clutch size
Usually 7–9 eggs
Incubation period
About 24 days
Size
55–63cm
Wingspan
83–95cm
Weight
790–1,500g
The eastern or Chinese spot-billed duck is a dabbling duck 55 to 63cm long with a wingspan of 83 to 95cm and a body mass of 790 to 1,500g. It is a mainly grey duck with a paler head and neck and a black bill tipped bright yellow, whose name comes from the yellow spot on the bill. The male has no eclipse plumage, and juveniles are browner and duller. It lacks the red bill spot and has a blue speculum (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is quite gregarious outside the breeding season, forming small flocks on freshwater lakes and marshes in fairly open country, and it feeds by dabbling for plant food mainly in the evening or at night. It nests on the ground near water between April and July, with seven to nine eggs hatching after about 24 days. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Indian spot-billed duck.
Quick answers
- What does the Chinese Spot-billed Duck eat?
- Plant food, taken by dabbling mainly in the evening or at night
- What habitat does the Chinese Spot-billed Duck live in?
- Freshwater lakes and marshes in fairly open country
- Where is the Chinese Spot-billed Duck found?
- Breeds in East and Southeast Asia; winters in southern China
- How many eggs does the Chinese Spot-billed Duck lay?
- Usually 7–9 eggs
- How long are the eggs of the Chinese Spot-billed Duck incubated?
- About 24 days
- How big is the Chinese Spot-billed Duck?
- 55–63cm
- What is the wingspan of the Chinese Spot-billed Duck?
- 83–95cm
- How much does the Chinese Spot-billed Duck weigh?
- 790–1,500g