This Australian endemic is uncommon over most of its range and rare at this locality. It is nomadic moving to permanent water in coastal areas when interior lakes dry up. This year was apparently one of those dry years when birds were on the move. We also saw them in Queensland where they are rare. Photos. The total world population is estimated at fewer than 26,000. They are in their own montypic genus Stictonetta and in their own subfamily, Stictonettinae considered ancestral to the dabbling ducks.
Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 | Nikon FieldScope III | 30XWA | hand-held (no adapter)