The Indian spot-billed duck is a dabbling duck, meaning that it mainly feeds at the surface of the water rather than diving below the surface. It gets its name from a red spot at the base of the bill (where the bill meets the head) and not from the yellow spot at the other end of the bill which is more noticeable. The red spot is not found on females or on a subspecies known as the Burmese spot-billed duck. Other noticeable features are a green speculum, which can be seen in flight, bordered by white which can be seen when it is floating on the water. The bill is black, except for the spots, the legs and feet are bright orange to coral red. It has a black stripe through the eye. The chest and belly are whitish with brownish scaly patches. The cap and wings are dark.
It is found in Pakistan and India in medium-sized freshwater wetlands with vegetation cover. They isolate themselves from other species and are found in pairs or small groups. I saw them in December 2024 in Kaziranga NP in Assam, India. Wikipedia has a photo of an Indian spot-billed duck in Kaziranga NP.
I love the second photo with the red spot at the base of the beak and the yellow tip. They almost look like paint drips.
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