Pacific Black Duck

This is a common duck in Australia and sadly is a major game species. It is a large, soft brown bird with a pale face and throat. What is most attractive is its distinctive eye-stripe that stretches from the top of the bill through to the eye. The upper wing has a beautiful green, glossy colour patch on it and the underwing is white. 
I found this beauty at the lake today, but they remind me of the families of ducks that lived along our channel bank on the farm year after year.  We would never let the shooters in during duck season.