Hardhead

 The Hardhead is endemic to the south-east of Australia and is our only true ‘diving’ duck. Most of our ducks are ‘dabblers’ – they simply upend a little and feed on aquatic material in shallow water. Hardheads will dive deep, stay under for some time and feed on the bottom of lakes and streams, well below the surface.

Credit: ala.com.au

     The male has the distinctive white eye and is sometimes called the White-eyed Duck. There seems to be some difference in the origins of the name ‘hardhead’. One source suggests it is from the field of taxidermy because the head is hard to get right. Another says it is a shooters term from the fact the bird is sometimes considered hard to kill.

         The pale bill tip and white eye in the male makes this bird fairly easily identified. The female is similar but lacks the white eye and has a greyer bill tip. Generally, Hardheads sit low in the water. Out of breeding season, they can form rafts of many hundreds of birds.

         Hardheads usually prefer deep, open, fresh water bodies and are seldom found in coastal locations. The bird is described as ‘vulnerable’ in Victoria. Sometimes small rafts consisting of dozens of birds can be seen on the Drouin sewerage ponds and pairs are often sighted on smaller wetlands in this district.