Hardhead

Aythya australis (Eyton, 1838)

42–59 cmLength869 gWeight

The hardhead (Aythya australis), also known as the white-eyed duck, is the only true diving duck found in Australia.

Busiest months: September–October · Most records: Australia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Hardhead has been recorded at 208 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Western Treatment PlantAustralia6,424 records
Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature ReserveAustralia5,004 records
Centennial ParkAustralia3,445 records

More places

Dowse LagoonAustralia2,564 records
Hasties Swamp National ParkAustralia2,460 records
Alice Springs Sewage PondsAustralia2,196 records
Lake Samsonvale – Golds Scrub LaneAustralia2,122 records
Sandy Camp Road WetlandsAustralia1,840 records
Herdsman LakeAustralia1,790 records
West Belconnen PondAustralia1,762 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia Papua New Guinea Timor-Leste Indonesia New Zealand New Caledonia Vanuatu

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 hardhead (Aythya australis), also known as the white-eyed duck, is the only true diving duck found in Australia. The common name "hardhead" has nothing to do with the density of the bird's skull, instead referring to the difficulty encountered by early taxidermists in processing the head. Hardheads are found in wetter, coastal regions of Australia, particularly in the south-east, but are known to disperse as far afield as New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Hardhead?

The Hardhead is about 42–59 cm long and weighs around 869 g.

Where does the Hardhead live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: Australia and Tasmania, New Zealand, Grande Terre (New Caledonia) and Banks Islands to Tanna (northern to southern Vanuatu). It is most often recorded in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste.