As a secret spy duck, we have had to hide Annabel’s real name so as to protect her identity.. Sometimes known as a Radjah Shelduck, sometimes a Burdekin Duck and sometimes by her stealthy disguise – the white-headed Shelduck, Annabel is a world class detective who enjoys working in the heat of Northern Australia, below you see her in stealthy sleep mode, luring in her next target..
![]()
Some Fun facts aboout Annabel:
Scientific Name: Radjah Shelduck (Tadorna radjah) / White-headed Shelduck is a species of shelduck. It is more commonly known as a Burdekin Duck.
Classification
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Tadorna
Species: radjah
Common Name:Radjah Shelduck
Relatives in same Genus
Australian Shelduck (T. tadornoides)
Distribution and Habitat
The Rajh Shelduck inhabits the mangrove forests and coastline of New Guinea and Australia. In Australia, its primary range is coastal tropical northern Australia, from central Queensland through northern Northern Territory (including Kakadu National Park) to the Kimberley in Western Australia.
The species prefers the brackish waters of mangrove flats and paperbark tree swamps, but will visit freshwater swamps, lagoons, and billabongs further inland during the wet season.
Breeding / Nesting
The Radjah Shelduck forms long-term pair-bonds, and is usually encountered in lone pairs or small flocks. During the wet season the males commonly become very irritable, and have been observed attacking their mates.
Pairs start searching for nesting sites during the months of January and February. They nest close to their primary food source, often in the hollow limbs of trees, which makes habitat destruction a particular issue.
Radjah Shelduck does not use nesting materials except for some self-supplied down feathers. Egg-laying is usually done by May or June, but depends on the extent of the wet season. The clutches range from 6 to 12 eggs. Incubation time is about 30 days.
http://www.ozanimals.com/Bird/Radjah-Shelduck/Tadorna/radjah.html
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/radjahshelducks.html