Chestnut Teal vs Spotted Whistling-duck
Anas castanea compared with Dendrocygna guttata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chestnut Teal | Spotted Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas castanea | Dendrocygna guttata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 40.4 cm (15.9 in) | 41.3 cm (16.3 in) |
| Weight | 662.25 g (23.36 oz) | 677.5 g (23.90 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow water; diet heavier in molluscs in … | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … |
| Clutch Size | 5-17 | 10-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Chestnut Teal only
None
Spotted Whistling-duck only
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.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Freshwater wetlands, rice fields, streams, and forest pools in New Guinea, Sulawesi, the Philippines, and Moluccas. Often found near forested rivers and seasonal swamps at low elevations.
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.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A musical, high whistle similar to other whistling-ducks. Call is softer and less far-carrying than White-faced or Black-bellied species. Given in flight and on water.
Geographic Range & Migration
Chestnut Teal
Breeds in the north-central prairies; winters along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.
Conservation Status
Chestnut Teal
Spotted Whistling-duck
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.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Dark brown above; head and neck dark brown. Underparts heavily spotted white on dark brown ground, giving spotted appearance. Flanks with bold white spots. Pink-red bill and legs. Sexes similar.
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.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A small dark brown whistling-duck with bold white spots on its flanks, orange-red bill and legs, and a pale face. Found in tropical wetlands of New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Often found near freshwater streams and flooded grassland. Less gregarious than other whistling-ducks.