Scaly-sided Merganser vs Mute Swan
Mergus squamatus مقارنةً بـ Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| السمة | Scaly-sided Merganser | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| الاسم العلمي | Mergus squamatus | Cygnus olor |
| الرتبة | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| الفصيلة | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| حالة الحفاظ | Endangered | Least Concern |
| الطول | — | 152,0 cm (59.8 in) |
| طول الجناح | 51,2 cm (20.2 in) | 235,0 cm (92.5 in) |
| الوزن | 1145,8 g (40.42 oz) | 11000,0 g (388.01 oz) |
| النظام الغذائي | Dives for fish in fast-flowing East Asian rivers. Endangered; highly piscivorous with serrated bill adapted … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| عدد البيض في الوضع | 4-14 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Scaly-sided Merganser
Male gives a quiet, low grunting call; female produces a guttural, croaking series. Endangered; calls are poorly known; similar to Red-breasted Merganser but quieter in Manchurian forest rivers.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Scaly-sided Merganser
Breeds in southern Russia, northern China, and the Russian Far East. Winters in southern China and Korea. Found on fast-flowing forested rivers.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
حالة الحفاظ
Scaly-sided Merganser
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Scaly-sided Merganser
Male has iridescent dark green head with long flat crest, white body with distinctive black scaly pattern on flanks, and black back with white patches. Female has brownish-red crested head …
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
About These Birds
Scaly-sided Merganser
A medium-large merganser (~1.1 kg) in family Anatidae, distinguished by scaly flank patterning and a shaggy crest. Breeds along fast, clear rivers in old-growth forests of far eastern Russia and China; winters in rivers of East and Southeast Asia. Feeds on fish. Endangered due to deforestation, river pollution, and human disturbance of nesting sites.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.