Bird Album
Blue Duck
Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
50–55 cmLength830 gWeight
The blue duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) or whio is a member of the duck, goose and swan family, Anatidae and is endemic to New Zealand.
Most records: New Zealand
Where and when it's recorded
Most records: New Zealand
Blue Duck has been recorded at 6 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Fiordland NP – Milford SoundNew Zealand12 records
- Fiordland NP – Mirror LakesNew Zealand8 records
- Abel Tasman NP – Marahau EstuaryNew Zealand1 record
More places
- Fiordland NP – Lake Gunn Nature WalkNew Zealand1 record
- Queenstown GardensNew Zealand1 record
- Tokaanu Old Wharf RdNew Zealand1 record
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The blue duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) or whio is a member of the duck, goose and swan family, Anatidae and is endemic to New Zealand. It is the only individual species belonging to the genus Hymenolaimus. Its closest relatives are the ducks in the genus Sarkidiornis.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Blue Duck?
The Blue Duck is about 50–55 cm long and weighs around 830 g.
Where does the Blue Duck live?
Its breeding range: Australasia: central, southern North and western South Islands (New Zealand). It is most often recorded in New Zealand.
Is the Blue Duck endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Blue Duck as Endangered.
What does the Blue Duck eat?
Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.
What family is the Blue Duck in?
It belongs to the family Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae), order Anseriformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 50–55 cm
- Weight
- 830 g
- Habitat
- Rivers & streams
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp & shellfish
- Lifestyle
- On the water surface
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Endangered
More measurements
- Wing
- 228 mm
- Tail
- 100 mm
- Bill
- 42 mm
- Tarsus
- 42 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Australasia: central, southern North and western South Islands (New Zealand)
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Ducks, Geese, Swans Anatidae
- Genus
- Hymenolaimus
More from the family Ducks, Geese, Swans
White-faced Whistling DuckDendrocygna viduata
Black-bellied Whistling DuckDendrocygna autumnalis
Spotted Whistling DuckDendrocygna guttata
West Indian Whistling DuckDendrocygna arborea
Fulvous Whistling DuckDendrocygna bicolor
Plumed Whistling DuckDendrocygna eytoni
Wandering Whistling DuckDendrocygna arcuata
Lesser Whistling DuckDendrocygna javanica
White-backed DuckThalassornis leuconotus
Cape Barren GooseCereopsis novaehollandiae
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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Ben Ackerley. ↗
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