The Australian wood duck, maned duck or maned goose (Chenonetta jubata) is a dabbling duck found throughout much of Australia. It is the only living species in the genus Chenonetta.
Taxonomy
The Australian wood duck was first described by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name Anas jubata.
It had been associated with the ringed teal as possibly its closest living relative, but more detailed recent genetic evidence points to it belonging to an early clade of diving ducks, with its closest relatives being blue duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) in New Zealand and the pantropical comb ducks (Sarkidiornis), and with these next closest to a group including Hartlaub's duck (Pteronetta hartlaubii), blue-winged goose (Cyanochen cyanoptera), marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), white-winged duck (Asarcornis scutulata), and the widespread genera Netta and Aythya.
The extinct flightless New Zealand species Chenonetta finschi (Finsch's duck) which was formerly believed to constitute a monotypic genus (Euryanas) has been determined to belong to Chenonetta. It became extinct before scientists could properly survey the New Zealand avifauna, but possibly as late as 1870, based on a report of a flightless goose caught in Ōpōtiki.
Etymology
Chenonetta: khēn, χηνος khēnos "goose"; νηττα nētta "duck".<br />
jubata: "maned, crested", from iuba "mane, crest"
Description
This duck looks like a small goose, and mostly feeds by grazing in flocks.
The male is grey with a dark brown head, mottled breast and very thin white and black stripes on sides/flanks. The female has white stripes above and below the eye and mottled underparts. Both sexes have grey wings with black primaries and a white speculum. Juveniles are similar to adult females, but lighter and with a more streaky breast.
Distribution and habitat
The Australian wood duck is widespread in Australia, including Tasmania. The Australian wood duck is found in grasslands, open woodlands, wetlands, flooded pastures and along the coast in inlets and bays. It is also common on farmland with dams, as well as around rice fields, sewage ponds and in urban parks. It will often be found around deeper lakes that may be unsuitable for other waterbirds' foraging, as it prefers to forage on land. It has been recorded as a vagrant in New Zealand, although in 2015 and 2016 a pair successfully bred there.
Behaviour
Call
The most common call is a loud, rising croaky gnow sound by the females, and the male call is the same except smoother, shorter and higher than the females. Staccato chattering is also present in flocks.
In New South Wales the Australian wood duck along with nine other species of Australian duck can be harvested under the NSW Native Game Bird Management Program on private property by land owners and recreational hunters who have passed the nationally recognised 'Waterfowl Identification Test' (WIT) and hold the appropriate New South Wales Game license.
In Queensland Australian wood ducks along with other species of waterfowl can be harvested by under the appropriate Damage Mitigation Permit (DMP) for culling and dispersal of wildlife identified as posing a risk of damage to property or agricultural production.
In addition to recreational and mitigation harvesting, Australian wood duck ('Ngawurk' in the Dja Dja Wurrung language and other species of waterfowl can be harvested by traditional owners using traditional and modern methods in all states and territories.
This species is not threatened and due to its environmental adaptability, its numbers are considered to be ascending.
Reproduction
thumb| Chenonetta jubata - [[MHNT]]
Australian wood duck nests in cavities in trees or in nest-boxes above or near water. Nests are made with a pile of down.
Breeding
This duck nests in a tree cavity laying 9–11 cream-white eggs, similar to the Mandarin ducks.