Northern Pintail vs Mute Swan
Anas acuta compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Pintail | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas acuta | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 51.3 cm (20.2 in) | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 912.75 g (32.20 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow water; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | 3-12 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Northern Pintail
Breeds on shallow prairie wetlands, tundra ponds, and arctic meadows. Winters on coastal estuaries, lagoons, rice paddies, and agricultural fields across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Highly migratory.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Northern Pintail
Male produces a low, mellow whistle; female gives a hoarse, nasal quack. The male's soft, flute-like call is one of the most distinctive sounds of northern wetlands in spring.
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
Northern Pintail
Breeds in Arctic Canada, Alaska, and Greenland; winters along the coasts of the North Atlantic from Labrador to West Africa.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Northern Pintail
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Northern Pintail
Breeding males have chocolate-brown head; white neck stripe extending to breast; gray flanks with long pointed central tail feathers. Females mottled brown with pointed tail and gray bill. Elegant and …
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
Northern Pintail
A large elegant dabbling duck with a long slender neck. Males have a chocolate-brown head, white underparts and neck stripe, fine grey body, and dramatically long central tail feathers. Highly migratory; one of the world's most abundant ducks. Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions worldwide.
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.