Yellow-billed Pintail vs Mute Swan
Anas georgica compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Yellow-billed Pintail | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas georgica | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 41.1 cm (16.2 in) | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 626.6666666666666 g (22.11 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Eats aquatic invertebrates, molluscs, and small fish; dives in shallow water; diet varies between freshwater … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | 3-12 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Yellow-billed Pintail
Freshwater and brackish lakes, rivers, marshes, and bogs from the Andes to Patagonia in South America, plus the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Ranges from sea level to high altitudes. Partially migratory.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Yellow-billed Pintail
Female gives a nasal, descending quacking series; male utters a short, whistled note. Calls are softer than the Northern Pintail; heard across South American lakes and pampas marshes.
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
Yellow-billed Pintail
Breeds across the northern Palearctic; winters in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Yellow-billed Pintail
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Yellow-billed Pintail
Brown plumage with pale buff feather edges creating scalloped pattern. Yellow bill with black ridge and tip. Pointed tail; long neck. Iridescent speculum with buff front border. Sexes similar. Andean …
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
Yellow-billed Pintail
A slender long-tailed duck with pale buff-brown body, dark brown cap, yellow-sided bill, and a distinctive long pointed tail. Found from the South American subtropics to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Gregarious; forms large post-breeding flocks.
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.