Andean Teal vs Black Swan
Anas andium compared with Cygnus atratus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andean Teal | Black Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas andium | Cygnus atratus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 44.8 cm (17.6 in) | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) |
| Weight | 457.0 g (16.12 oz) | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … |
| Clutch Size | 5-13 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Andean Teal
High-altitude freshwater lakes, marshes, and boggy streams at 2,500–4,500 m in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Strongly associated with paramo and subpáramo wetlands.
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Song & Call Comparison
Andean Teal
Male gives a clear, whistled note; female produces a soft quacking series. Subdued vocalizations of this high-altitude Andes teal blend with the wind across paramo lakes.
Black Swan
Gives a musical bugling 'boo-boo-boo' in flight and softer honking on water. Less vocal than Mute Swan; produces a baying call when alarmed. Wings whistle softly in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Andean Teal
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Andean Teal
Black Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Andean Teal
Brown body with fine dark spotting; head grayish-brown. Yellow bill with darker culmen. Iridescent green speculum with white front border. Legs grayish-orange. Sexes similar. High-altitude Andean specialist.
Black Swan
Almost entirely black with white flight feathers visible in flight. Red bill with a white band near the tip. Dark red to reddish-brown iris.
Bright red bill with a pale tip and prominent white band
About These Birds
Andean Teal
A small brown teal with yellow bill and green speculum. Closely related to Yellow-billed Teal; sometimes considered conspecific. Restricted to high-altitude Andean wetlands of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Listed as Near Threatened due to wetland loss.
Black Swan
The black swan was once considered impossible by Europeans who believed all swans were white, making it a famous philosophical example of inductive reasoning failure. It is the state emblem of Western Australia. Black swans form lifelong pair bonds and both parents share in incubation and care of cygnets.