Yellow-billed Duck

Afrikaans name: Geelbekeend

Yellow-billed Duck

Photo © Steven Herbert

Anas undulata

What you have here is a common and unmistakable species. They are very common in South Africa but less common north of the border.

Male and female have the same colouration. Both have the bright yellow bill.

They grow to a length of over 50 cm.

The Yellow-billed Duck mainly eats water weeds but they do take some insects as well. It may feed both in the day and at night.

They make a nest on the ground amongst dense vegetation. They can lay as many as 10 to 12 eggs.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	96	Anas undulata undulata
2nd	96	Anas undulata
3rd	96	Anas undulata
4th	96	Anas undulata
5th	104	Anas undulata
6th	104	Anas undulata
7th	33	Anas undulata

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	96	Yellowbill Duck
2nd	96	Yellowbill
3rd	96	Yellow-billed Duck
4th	96	Yellow-billed Duck
5th	104	Yellowbilled Duck
6th	104	Yellowbilled Duck
7th	33	Yellow-billed Duck

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	96	Geelbek-eend
2nd	96	Geelbek
3rd	96	Geelbek
4th	96	Geelbek
5th	104	Geelbekeend
6th	104	Geelbekeend
7th	33	Geelbekeend

References and further reading

Wildlife of the Cape Peninsula - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2001 - Page: 39

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 42

Wild About Johannesburg - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 1995 - Page: 33

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 35

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 44

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Reader s Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 134

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 6

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 8

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 78

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 76

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 84

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 85

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 68

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 26

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 62

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 48

Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 94

Questions and Answers - Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Published: 1990 - Page: 5

Meeting with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1986 - Page: 36

Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 94

Gamebirds and Waterfowl of Southern Africa - Author: CG Finch-Davies, Dr Alan Kemp - Published: 1986 - Page: 51

Gamebirds of Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: P.A. Clancey - Published: 1967 - Page: 19

Ian Sinclair s Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 66

Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind - Author: B. Hilton-Barber & Prof. L. R. Berger - Published: 2004 - Page: 178

Freshwater Life - Author: C. Griffiths, J. Day & M. Picker - Published: 2015 - Page: 48

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 42

Field Guide to Fynbos Fauna - Author: Cliff & Suretha Dorse - Published: 2023 - Page: 130

Everyone s Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 45

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 12

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 37

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 33

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Published: 1992 - Page: 10

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 39

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 34

Birds of the Kruger and other National Parks - Volume 4 - Author: National Parks Board - Published: 1974 - Page: 12

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 57

Birds of Africa south of the Sahara - Author: Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan - Published: 2003 - Page: 66

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 168

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 168

A Coloured Key to the Wildfowl of the World - Author: Peter Scott - Published: 1957 - Page: 54

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 53

BirdLife South Africa

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List of South African Birds