Chestnut Teal vs Black Swan
Anas castanea compared with Cygnus atratus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chestnut Teal | Black Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas castanea | Cygnus atratus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 40.4 cm (15.9 in) | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) |
| Weight | 662.25 g (23.36 oz) | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow water; diet heavier in molluscs in … | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … |
| Clutch Size | 5-17 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Chestnut Teal
Coastal and estuarine wetlands, saltmarshes, estuaries, and coastal freshwater lakes in southeastern and southwestern Australia. More closely tied to coastal habitats than most Australian ducks.
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Song & Call Comparison
Chestnut Teal
Female produces a loud, emphatic quacking series; male gives a high, whistled note. The female's resonant quacking call is a familiar sound of southern Australian coastal wetlands.
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
Chestnut Teal
Breeds in the north-central prairies; winters along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States.
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Chestnut Teal
Black Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Chestnut Teal
Strong dimorphism. Males have iridescent dark green head; rich chestnut underparts with white flank patch. Brown back; dark undertail. Females mottled brown with pale face. Iridescent green speculum. Australian coastal.
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
Chestnut Teal
A small duck with males having a gorgeous iridescent green head, rich chestnut body, and green speculum with white border. Females are brown and hard to distinguish from Grey Teal. Endemic to Australia; common in coastal southeastern and southwestern Australia.
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.