A lone male tufted duck, named after it's luscious plumage, has somehow ended up in the west Melbourne suburb's sewerage farm, far away from any of its mates.
Birdwatchers have swooped on the west Melbourne suburb, which they say is rivalled only by Kakadu for the sport in Australia, to catch a glimpse of the bird never before seen in this country.
The Eurasian bird migrates south in the European winter to India and Southern China, and has been recorded in Malayasia and Thailand, but never before this far down.
The first record for Australia! Tufted Duck at the WTP in Werribee, VIC #tuftedduck #birding #Australia https://t.co/DkbyDjwGaW pic.twitter.com/nBiDnMbKBO
— R. Bruce Richardson (@RbrucegrpR) January 4, 2019
"It's obviously taken a wrong turn somewhere," Birdlife Australia editor Sean Dooley said.
"It's internal GPS has taken it south, [but] this one has overshot by a massive distance."
Mr Dooley said the diving seabird was first seen at Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant on January 3.
Rare bird enthusiasts, known as twitchers, have been flocking to the site since its appearance, including from interstate.
"It's the perfect bird to see because it does stand out and it's hanging around," he said.
The plant hosts more than 300 species of birds, including several rare and endangered species.
Mr Dooley said the drought had led tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of waterbirds to the plant's wetlands, where they were also safe from hunting.
"We're still putting water into Werribee, so it's attracting birds," he said.
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