Hardhead

For other uses, see Hardhead (disambiguation).

Hardhead
Female
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Aythya
Species:
A. australis
Binomial name
Aythya australis
(Eyton, 1838)
Subspecies
  • A. a. extima (Mayr, 1940) (disputed)
  • A. a. australis (Eyton, 1838)
Synonyms

Nyroca australis Eyton, 1838

The hardhead (Aythya australis), also known as the white-eyed duck, is the only true diving duck found in Australia. The common name "hardhead" has nothing to do with the density of the bird's skull, instead referring to the difficulty encountered by early taxidermists in processing the head.[2] Hardheads are found in wetter, coastal regions of Australia, particularly in the south-east, but are known to disperse as far afield as New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.[3]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2017). "Aythya australis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22680387A112385790. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22680387A112385790.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Hardhead: Aythya australis". Birdlife Australia. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  3. ^ Carboneras, C.; Kirwan, G.M. (2020). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Hardhead: Aythya australis". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bow.wheduc1.01. S2CID 226085401. Retrieved 9 February 2021.