Red-billed Teal vs Mallard
Anas erythrorhyncha compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Red-billed Teal | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas erythrorhyncha | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 43.0 cm (16.9 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 648.0 g (22.86 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and small fish in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts with … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 5-13 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Red-billed Teal
Freshwater lakes, marshes, pans, and flooded fields across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Sudan south to the Cape. Nomadic; follows seasonal flooding. Very tolerant of saline conditions.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Red-billed Teal
Female produces a loud, nasal quacking series; male gives a soft, nasal grunt. Both sexes call with emphatic, honking quacks that carry across African open wetlands and dams.
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
Red-billed Teal
Breeds in northern Eurasia and Arctic Canada; winters on open ocean in the North Atlantic and North Pacific.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Red-billed Teal
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Red-billed Teal
Diagnostic bright pink-red bill with dark ridge contrasting with dark brown cap. Body brown, finely scalloped. White sides of face. Pale buff-white speculum with dark border. Sexes similar. Sub-Saharan Africa.
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
Red-billed Teal
A medium-sized teal with a distinctive red bill, dark brown cap and back, pale cheeks, and fine barring on the flanks. Common in sub-Saharan Africa, especially eastern and southern Africa. Nomadic; follows seasonal rainfall. One of Africa's most abundant ducks.
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.