Red-billed Teal vs Mute Swan
Anas erythrorhyncha compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Red-billed Teal | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas erythrorhyncha | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 43.0 cm (16.9 in) | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 648.0 g (22.86 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and small fish in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts with … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | 5-13 | 5-7 |
| 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.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
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.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in 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.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Red-billed Teal
Mute Swan
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.
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
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.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.