Eastern Spot-Billed Duck
カルガモ
Scientific name: Anas zonorhyncha
The Eastern Spot-Billed Duck is one of the most familiar ducks in Japan. In Japanese it is called カルガモ / Karugamo. Unlike many winter ducks, it is commonly seen in Japan throughout the year, including parks, city rivers, ponds, rice fields, lakes, marshes, and quiet waterways.
Both male and female look very similar. They have a brown mottled body, dark cap, pale face, dark eye line, and a black bill with a clear yellow tip. This yellow bill tip is one of the easiest identification points. Compared with the Mallard, the Eastern Spot-Billed Duck is less colorful, but very familiar and often seen close to people.
In Japan, it is especially famous for parent birds walking with lines of ducklings in spring and early summer. Families may cross roads, paths, or city areas while moving between ponds and feeding places.
Habitat: Rivers, ponds, lakes, marshes, rice fields, canals, city waterways, coastal wetlands
Range in Japan: Widespread in suitable water habitats across much of Japan
Diet: Aquatic plants, seeds, grasses, rice grains, insects, snails, and small aquatic animals
Season: Mostly year-round resident; some local seasonal movement
Size: About 58–63 cm
Nesting: Ground nest hidden in grass, reeds, shrubs, or vegetation near water
Behavior: Often seen in pairs, small groups, or family groups; ducklings follow the parent closely
Conservation: Common and widespread, but depends on healthy wetlands, rice fields, ponds, and safe nesting areas
The Eastern Spot-Billed Duck is a familiar resident duck of Japan’s rivers, ponds, rice fields, parks, and city waterways. Its brown mottled body, pale face, dark eye line, and black bill with a yellow tip make it easy to recognize. Unlike many ducks that visit Japan mainly in winter, the カルガモ can often be seen year-round, especially around calm water and wetland edges. In spring and early summer, families with small ducklings are a beloved sight in both countryside and city landscapes.
Eastern Spot-billed Duck カルガモ
The Eastern Spot-billed Duck is a familiar wild duck commonly seen on
rivers, ponds, lakes, rice fields, wetlands, marshes, canals, and city
park waters in Japan. It has brown mottled plumage, a pale face, dark eye
stripe, orange legs, and a black bill with a bright yellow tip, which makes
it easy to recognize.
Unlike many winter ducks, this species is often seen in Japan throughout
the year. It feeds by dabbling at the water surface or tipping forward in
shallow water, eating aquatic plants, seeds, grains, insects, and small
water organisms. Pairs and family groups are often seen swimming quietly
along calm watersides.
Category
Ducks, Dabbling Ducks, Waterbirds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Rivers, Ponds, Lakes, Rice Fields, Wetlands, Marshes, Canals
Region
Japan, East Asia, Korea, China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia
Behavior
Dabbling, Pairing, Family Groups, Shallow-water Feeding
Population
Common and Widespread in Suitable Wetland Habitat
カルガモ Eastern Spot-billed Duck
カルガモは、日本の河川、池、湖、田んぼ、湿地、沼、水路、都市公園の水辺などで
よく見られる身近な野生のカモです。褐色のまだら模様の体、淡い顔、
目を通る黒い線、橙色の脚、そして先端が黄色い黒いくちばしが特徴で、
とても見分けやすい鳥です。
多くの冬鳥のカモと違い、日本では一年を通して見られることが多い種類です。
水面でくちばしを使って採食したり、浅い水の中で体を前に倒して、
水草、種子、穀物、昆虫、小さな水生生物などを食べます。つがいや親子の群れが、
静かな水辺をゆっくり泳ぐ姿もよく観察されます。
Habitat
河川、池、湖、田んぼ、湿地、沼、水路、都市公園
Region
日本、東アジア、韓国、中国、台湾、東南アジア
Behavior
水面採食、つがいで行動、親子群、浅い水辺で採食
Population
適した湿地環境では普通に見られ、広く分布
