Cape Teal vs American Black Duck
Anas capensis compared with Anas rubripes
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Cape Teal | American Black Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas capensis | Anas rubripes |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 38.6 cm (15.2 in) | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) |
| Weight | 423.8333333333333 g (14.95 oz) | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; digs in mudflats; diet heavily invertebrate year-round. | Eats fish and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts toward molluscs … |
| Clutch Size | 5-15 | 1-17 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Cape Teal
Saline, alkaline, and freshwater lakes and pans across sub-Saharan Africa from the Sahel to South Africa. Strongly associated with soda and saline lakes in East Africa's Rift Valley. Nomadic.
American Black Duck
Freshwater and brackish wetlands in eastern North America from Atlantic Canada south along the coast to Georgia. Breeds in northern bogs and wetlands. Winters on coastal marshes, estuaries, and freshwater lakes.
Song & Call Comparison
Cape Teal
Female gives a soft, nasal quacking series; male produces a high, piping whistle. The male's clear, piping call is unexpected for a teal; heard on Cape and Namibian estuaries.
American Black Duck
Female produces a loud, deep quacking series; male gives a low, raspy grunt. Voice is deeper and huskier than a Mallard; pairs call powerfully across northeastern North American wetlands.
Geographic Range & Migration
Cape Teal
Breeds across the Palearctic; winters on coasts from western Africa around to Southeast Asia and Australia.
American Black Duck
Breeds in the steppe zone of Central Asia; winters in South Asia, East Africa, and coastal Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Cape Teal
American Black Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Cape Teal
Pale gray-brown plumage with fine dark spotting on breast. Pink bill with dark ridge. Iridescent green-and-black speculum with white borders. Pale head. Sexes similar. African saline and alkaline lake specialist.
American Black Duck
Sooty dark brown body; head and neck paler buff with dark streaking. Iridescent purple speculum without white border. Males have yellow-green bill; females olive with orange blotches. Silvery underwings in …
About These Birds
Cape Teal
A small pale grey teal with pink bill, orange-red eye, and green speculum. The palest duck in Africa. Found on saline and alkaline lakes and pans across sub-Saharan Africa. Nomadic; follows shifting water availability. Feeds by filter-dabbling.
American Black Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck closely resembling a very dark female Mallard, with purple speculum, yellowish-olive bill in males, and orange legs. Common in eastern North America. Hybridizes freely with Mallard; pure populations declining in the interior.