The species has a broad habitat tolerance, breeding and feeding in a wide range of terrestrial and marine wetlands and estuaries. It also utilises artificial habitats such as farm dams and drains. In New Zealand, however, agricultural regions are now largely dominated by the introduced Mallard A. platyrhynchos, and A. superciliosa has become increasingly restricted to undeveloped areas. Nests tend to be built away from water, and are often in tree holes. Ten to 12 eggs are usually laid. Young are capable of breeding in the first year, but about 65% of young die before starting to breed. Adults live 21 months on average in New Zealand, but the oldest bird in the wild was at least 20 years of age.

This species breeds in Indonesia from south Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi, through to Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea (including New Britain and New Ireland), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia (to France), Australia, Caroline Islands (Federated States of Micronesia), Palau, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and American Samoa, Cook Islands (New Zealand), Society Islands (French Polynesia) and New Zealand. It occurs as three subspecies, with pelewensis found in the south-west Pacific Islands and north New Guinea, rogersi found in the Indonesian region, south New Guinea and Australia, and the nominate superciliosa occurring in New Zealand and associated larger offshore islands (del Hoyo et al. 1992).