Reunion Shelduck vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Alopochen kervazoi compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Reunion Shelduck | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Alopochen kervazoi | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Extinct | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | — | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Extinct Reunion shelduck; likely fed on grasses, seeds, and aquatic invertebrates near coastal wetlands based … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Reunion Shelduck
Historically restricted to Réunion Island in the Mascarene archipelago. Now extinct; last evidence from early colonial period. Presumably inhabited freshwater wetland habitats on the island.
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.
Song & Call Comparison
Reunion Shelduck
Extinct (EX); no vocalizations recorded. The Reunion Shelduck was exterminated soon after European contact. No contemporary accounts of its call survive in the historical record.
Wandering Whistling-duck
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.
Geographic Range & Migration
Reunion Shelduck
Formerly found across the Pacific from Hawaii to New Zealand. Extinct by the 19th century; survived late on uninhabited islands.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Conservation Status
Reunion Shelduck
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Reunion Shelduck
Extinct Mascarene species known only from subfossil bones found on Réunion. Plumage unrecorded; presumed similar to Egyptian Goose with brownish-gray tones. Extirpated following European colonization.
Wandering Whistling-duck
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.
About These Birds
Reunion Shelduck
An extinct shelduck formerly endemic to Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. Known only from subfossil bones and brief historical records from the 17th century. Went extinct shortly after European colonization. No illustrations or detailed physical description of the living bird is known.
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.