Wood Duck vs Mute Swan
Aix sponsa compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wood Duck | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aix sponsa | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 44.1 cm (17.4 in) | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 691.75 g (24.40 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts between plant matter and invertebrates seasonally in … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | 9-15 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Wood Duck
Wooded swamps, beaver ponds, forested river margins, and tree-lined lakes in eastern and western North America. Nests in tree cavities up to 15m high. Readily uses nest boxes. Winters on wooded freshwater wetlands.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Wood Duck
Male gives a loud, rising 'jeeee' whistle; female gives a soft, nasal 'oo-eek'. One of North America's most beautiful ducks; its call matches its spectacular appearance.
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
Wood Duck
Breeds in Eurasia; winters across tropical and southern Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Wood Duck
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Wood Duck
Males iridescent green and purple-crested head with white throat patches and facial stripes. Chestnut breast, buffy flanks, dark back. Red eye and bill. Females gray-brown with white eye-ring teardrop. Spectacular …
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
Wood Duck
One of North America's most ornate ducks; males have an iridescent green-and-purple crested head, complex face patterning, chestnut breast, and colorful bill. Females are elegantly marked in brown and grey. Nests in tree cavities along forested waterways. Recovered strongly from near-extinction after 1918 legal protection.
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.