Snow Goose vs Black-headed Duck

Anser caerulescens مقارنةً بـ Heteronetta atricapilla

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Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Snow Goose Black-headed Duck
الاسم العلمي Anser caerulescens Heteronetta atricapilla
الرتبة Anseriformes Anseriformes
الفصيلة Anatidae Anatidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول
طول الجناح 82,4 cm (32.4 in) 34,7 cm (13.7 in)
الوزن 2561,0 g (90.34 oz) 528,5 g (18.64 oz)
النظام الغذائي Grazes submerged aquatic vegetation and eelgrass in estuaries; also takes grasses and sedges on coastal … Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet …
عدد البيض في الوضع 2-6 2
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Snow Goose only

Black-headed Duck only

بلا

Snow Goose

Breeds on coastal and inland Arctic tundra in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. Winters on agricultural fields, marshes, and coastal wetlands across the United States and northern Mexico. Forms enormous flocks.

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Song & Call Comparison

Snow Goose

الغناء

A loud, nasal barking 'luk-luk' or 'kow-kow'. Large flocks create enormous noise during Arctic nesting and winter staging. Considered a noisy, conspicuous goose.

Black-headed Duck

الغناء

Male gives a soft, raspy peeping note; female produces a muted quack. An obligate brood parasite with reduced vocalizations; subdued calls suit its secretive lifestyle among Argentine reeds.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Snow Goose

Breeds in eastern North America's boreal forest; winters on the Atlantic coast from New England to South Carolina.

Black-headed Duck

Resident in southern South America from southern Brazil and Bolivia south to Argentina and Chile. Found on lakes and marshes in open lowlands.

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حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Snow Goose

Least Concern

Black-headed Duck

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How to Tell Them Apart

Snow Goose

الريش

White morph: pure white plumage with black primaries and pink bill and legs. Blue morph: dark blue-gray body with white head. Both morphs interbreed freely. 'Grinning patch' on bill. Sexes …

Black-headed Duck

الريش

Male has distinctive jet-black head and neck, warm chestnut-brown back, and pale buff underparts; blue-grey bill with red base. Female is streaked brown above with pale supercilium and whitish underparts.

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About These Birds

Snow Goose

A distinctive goose with two morphs—white with black wingtips, or 'blue morph' with dark body and white head. Large flocks create spectacular migration events. Breeds in the Arctic; winters in the United States and Mexico. Population growth has caused severe overgrazing of Arctic salt marshes.

Black-headed Duck

A small diving duck (~530 g) of South America, family Anatidae, and the sole member of genus Heteronetta. Inhabits freshwater marshes and lakes in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Unique among waterfowl as an obligate brood parasite, laying eggs in nests of coots and other waterbirds. Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.

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