Paradise Shelduck

Sexually dimorphic. Adult males have a black head with a greenish gloss and a chestnut-orange body. Adult females have a striking white head and neck with a chestnut-orange body. Juveniles resemble females but are duller.

Large size, orange body, and distinct head coloration (black in males, white in females), along with a dark bill and legs.

Length: 58-71 cm, Wingspan: 110-130 cm, Weight: 1.2-1.8 kg

Loud and resonant honking or clattering calls, with the female giving a high-pitched alarm call and the male a deeper, softer honk.

Herbivorous; feeds on grasses, clover, agricultural crops, and occasionally aquatic vegetation and insects.

Open country, agricultural land, river flats, lakes, and coastal estuaries.

Resident, though they undergo a flightless moulting period in summer where they gather in large flocks at safe water bodies.

Nests in hollow trees, logs, rock crevices, or holes in banks. Clutch size is typically 6-10 creamy-white eggs, incubated mainly by the female.

Few similar species within New Zealand; occasionally confused with the Australian Shelduck, which has a chestnut collar and white neck ring in females.

Acts as a consumer of vegetation and seeds, contributing to seed dispersal and grazing management in wetlands and grasslands.

Least Concern, with a stable and increasing population.

Easily spotted in rural pastures, river valleys, and lake shores in New Zealand. They are often found in pairs or small family groups.

In Maori culture, the paradise shelduck is known as Putangitangi and is celebrated as a symbol of marital fidelity because they mate for life.