Wandering Whistling-duck vs White-backed Duck

Dendrocygna arcuata مقارنةً بـ Thalassornis leuconotus

Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Wandering Whistling-duck White-backed Duck
الاسم العلمي Dendrocygna arcuata Thalassornis leuconotus
الرتبة Anseriformes Anseriformes
الفصيلة Anatidae Anatidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول
طول الجناح 37,2 cm (14.6 in) 33,3 cm (13.1 in)
الوزن 779,5 g (27.50 oz) 704,6666666666666 g (24.86 oz)
النظام الغذائي Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … --
عدد البيض في الوضع 6-15 4-10
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Wandering Whistling-duck only

بلا

White-backed Duck only

بلا

Wandering Whistling-duck

Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.

White-backed Duck

Freshwater lakes, ponds, and swamps with abundant floating aquatic vegetation, especially water lilies, in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Prefers shallow sheltered water with emergent vegetation for cover.

Song & Call Comparison

Wandering Whistling-duck

الغناء

A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.

White-backed Duck

الغناء

Soft, low whistles and hissing sounds. The White-backed Duck is relatively quiet compared to whistling-ducks. Alarm call is a low 'peep'. Mostly heard at night.

Geographic Range & Migration

Wandering Whistling-duck

Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.

White-backed Duck

حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Wandering Whistling-duck

Least Concern

White-backed Duck

How to Tell Them Apart

Wandering Whistling-duck

الريش

Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.

White-backed Duck

الريش

Heavily mottled and barred brown and buff overall. Diagnostic white back patch visible in flight. Head brown with whitish face and chin. Stiff tail held erect. Sexes similar; stiff-tail diving …

About These Birds

Wandering Whistling-duck

A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.

White-backed Duck

A small compact brown-barred diving duck with a distinctive white back visible in flight and a large dark-blotched bill. Shy and easily overlooked among floating aquatic vegetation. An expert diver, feeding on water-lily seeds and tubers in African freshwater wetlands.

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