Yellow-billed Teal vs Spotted Whistling-duck
Anas flavirostris compared with Dendrocygna guttata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Yellow-billed Teal | Spotted Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas flavirostris | Dendrocygna guttata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 38.2 cm (15.0 in) | 41.3 cm (16.3 in) |
| Weight | 609.0 g (21.48 oz) | 677.5 g (23.90 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated by … | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … |
| Clutch Size | 5-13 | 10-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Yellow-billed Teal only
None
Spotted Whistling-duck only
None
Yellow-billed Teal
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and bogs from sea level to 4,500 m across South America from Colombia and Venezuela south to Tierra del Fuego. Common at high-altitude Andean lakes and puna wetlands.
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
Yellow-billed Teal
Male utters a high-pitched, clear whistle; female gives a soft, muffled quack. Quiet calls suit the high-altitude Andean wetlands where this teal forages in shallow freshwater.
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
Yellow-billed Teal
Breeds in northern Canada and Alaska; winters on the Atlantic coast from Labrador to South Carolina and in Chesapeake Bay.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.
Conservation Status
Yellow-billed Teal
Spotted Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Yellow-billed Teal
Brownish-gray body finely mottled with dark spots. Diagnostic bright yellow bill with dark culmen stripe. Speculum iridescent green. Head grayish-brown, slightly darker crown. Sexes similar. Andean and Patagonian lakes.
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
Yellow-billed Teal
A small brown teal with a distinctive bright yellow bill, dark crown, green speculum with white borders, and orange legs. Widespread in South American highland and lowland wetlands. One of the most common ducks in the Andes. Gregarious; forms large flocks outside breeding season.
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.