Black-headed Duck vs Andean Duck

Heteronetta atricapilla مقارنةً بـ Oxyura ferruginea

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Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Black-headed Duck Andean Duck
الاسم العلمي Heteronetta atricapilla Oxyura ferruginea
الرتبة Anseriformes Anseriformes
الفصيلة Anatidae Anatidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول
طول الجناح 34,7 cm (13.7 in) 31,4 cm (12.4 in)
الوزن 528,5 g (18.64 oz) 800,75 g (28.25 oz)
النظام الغذائي Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … Dives for aquatic invertebrates and plant seeds in Andean lakes and marshes. Diet similar to …
عدد البيض في الوضع 2 6-10
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Black-headed Duck only

Andean Duck only

بلا

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Song & Call Comparison

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.

Andean Duck

الغناء

Male gives a rapid, staccato drumming display call; female produces a nasal, quacking rattle. The male's mechanical drumming is similar to Ruddy Duck; echoes across Andean high-altitude lakes.

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Geographic Range & Migration

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.

Andean Duck

Resident in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina. Found on high-altitude lakes above 3,000 m.

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حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Black-headed Duck

Least Concern

Andean Duck

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How to Tell Them Apart

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.

Andean Duck

الريش

Male is dark chestnut-rufous overall with black head, white cheeks tinged grey, and deep blue bill. Female is dark brownish with pale cheeks divided by a dark bar; similar to …

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About These Birds

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.

Andean Duck

A stocky stiff-tailed duck (~800 g) of family Anatidae inhabiting high-altitude Andean lakes and wetlands from Colombia to Argentina. Males are rich chestnut with a blue bill during the breeding season. Dives for aquatic plants and invertebrates in cold Andean waters. Least Concern; formerly considered conspecific with Ruddy Duck but now recognized as a distinct species.

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