Australian Wood Duck, Female, Victoria, Australia

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The Australian wood duck (Chenonetta jubata) is also called the maned duck or maned goose. They nest in tree cavities or in nest-boxes above or near water. Nest interiors are made with a pile of down. The female incubates between nine and eleven cream-white colored eggs while the male stands guard. Once the ducklings are ready to leave the nest, the female flies to the ground and the ducklings will leap out of the nest to the ground and follow their parents. The males guard their ducklings closely along with the females.

Australian wood ducks eat grasses, grains, clover and other herbs, and occasionally, insects. It is rarely seen on open water, preferring to forage by dabbling in shallow water, or in grasslands and crops. They do not dive underwater for food.