African Black Duck vs Lesser Scaup
Anas sparsa مقارنةً بـ Aythya affinis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| السمة | African Black Duck | Lesser Scaup |
|---|---|---|
| الاسم العلمي | Anas sparsa | Aythya affinis |
| الرتبة | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| الفصيلة | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| حالة الحفاظ | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| الطول | — | — |
| طول الجناح | 49,5 cm (19.5 in) | 39,6 cm (15.6 in) |
| الوزن | 996,8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 853,75 g (30.12 oz) |
| النظام الغذائي | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal habitats; hard-shelled benthic prey dominates diet. |
| عدد البيض في الوضع | 4-9 | 6-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
African Black Duck
Fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams, mountain gorges, and waterfalls from sea level to 4,000 m across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Requires clear turbulent water with boulders.
Lesser Scaup
Breeds on boreal lakes, ponds, and wetlands in Canada and Alaska. Winters on large lakes, reservoirs, coastal bays, and freshwater across the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America. Often in large rafts.
Song & Call Comparison
African Black Duck
Produces a harsh, resonant quacking call; alarm is a loud, emphatic quack repeated rapidly. Both sexes call with strong quacking; pairs duet with synchronized calls along African rivers.
Lesser Scaup
Male produces a soft, low purring call; female gives a harsh, nasal scaup sound. Voice nearly identical to Greater Scaup but slightly higher; flocks create a burbling, nasal chatter.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Resident across South and Southeast Asia, from India to southern China and the Philippines. Non-migratory in most of its range.
Lesser Scaup
Breeds in the forested interior of central Canada; winters on large lakes and rivers of the southeastern United States.
حالة الحفاظ
African Black Duck
Lesser Scaup
How to Tell Them Apart
African Black Duck
Dark blackish-brown plumage with bold white spots on back and scapulars. Iridescent blue-green speculum with white borders. Head dark with pale spots. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar. Fast-flowing …
Lesser Scaup
Males have peaked purple-glossed black head; white flanks; black breast and undertail; gray back. Yellow eye. Smaller than Greater Scaup with peaked crown. Females dark brown with white face patch. …
About These Birds
African Black Duck
A medium-sized dark brown duck with white spots on the back, a dark bill, and orange legs. Found along fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams in Africa. Territorial and monogamous; pairs defend stretches of river. Related to Pacific Black Duck.
Lesser Scaup
A medium-sized diving duck nearly identical to Greater Scaup but with a peaked purple-glossed head, narrower bill nail, and smaller white wing stripe. The most abundant diving duck in North America. Breeds in boreal Canada and Alaska; winters across the southern United States and beyond.