Australian Shelduck
ZOO LOCATION: Australia Walkabout
Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Wild Diet: Short grasses, algae, insects and mollusks
Habitat: Freshwater areas of western and southeastern Australia
Also known as the "mountain duck," this species is the largest Australian duck. Shelducks sometimes congregate in flocks of more than a thousand birds. To communicate, males honk loudly and females answer with a buzzing call. Populations have grown in recent years due to the increase of agricultural irrigation, which provides the ducks with more wetland habitats.
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