Southern Pintail vs Mallard
Anas eatoni compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Southern Pintail | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas eatoni | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 40.6 cm (16.0 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 497.0 g (17.53 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; eats hard-shelled prey; diet shifts between freshwater and … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 2-6 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Southern Pintail
Restricted to the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen and Crozet archipelagos. Inhabits freshwater streams, ponds, and coastal wetlands. Largely terrestrial for a duck; forages on land among tussock grasses.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Southern Pintail
Female produces a quiet, nasal quacking; male gives a soft whistle. Subdued vocalizations suit this sub-Antarctic island duck; calls are seldom heard and rarely documented.
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Southern Pintail
Breeds in Iceland and high-Arctic Norway; winters on the coasts of northwestern Europe and the British Isles.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Southern Pintail
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Southern Pintail
Brown, mottled plumage; head brown with pale cheeks. Pointed tail; males slightly longer-tailed. Grayish bill. Speculum bronze-green. Sexes similar with modest dimorphism. Subantarctic island endemic; two subspecies.
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
About These Birds
Southern Pintail
A small island duck found on the remote Kerguelen and Crozet archipelagos in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean. Closely related to Northern Pintail. Non-migratory island endemic; small population threatened by introduced predators and overgrazing by rabbits.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.