Grey Teal vs Black Swan
Anas gracilis compared with Cygnus atratus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Teal | Black Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas gracilis | Cygnus atratus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 38.4 cm (15.1 in) | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) |
| Weight | 504.25 g (17.79 oz) | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in shallow coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated … | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … |
| Clutch Size | 7-8 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Grey Teal
Freshwater and saline wetlands across Australia and New Zealand, including temporary pans, lakes, rivers, and estuaries. Highly nomadic in Australia following unpredictable rainfall. Less nomadic in New Zealand.
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Song & Call Comparison
Grey Teal
Female gives a high, nasal descending quacking series; male produces a soft, piping whistle. The high-pitched quacking call is distinctive; flocks create a musical chattering on Australian wetlands.
Black Swan
Gives a musical bugling 'boo-boo-boo' in flight and softer honking on water. Less vocal than Mute Swan; produces a baying call when alarmed. Wings whistle softly in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Grey Teal
Breeds across northern North America in boreal and sub-Arctic zones; winters on both coasts and inland waters of the US.
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Grey Teal
Black Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey Teal
Pale gray-brown body finely spotted and scaled dark. Head pale gray-buff with fine dark spots. Red eye. White throat. Iridescent green speculum with white front border. Gray bill; gray legs. …
Black Swan
Almost entirely black with white flight feathers visible in flight. Red bill with a white band near the tip. Dark red to reddish-brown iris.
Bright red bill with a pale tip and prominent white band
About These Birds
Grey Teal
A small grey-brown teal with fine pale edging on feathers, red eye, and green speculum. Widespread and common in Australia and New Zealand. Highly nomadic in Australia; follows inland flooding. Found in a wide variety of freshwater habitats from permanent lakes to temporary claypans.
Black Swan
The black swan was once considered impossible by Europeans who believed all swans were white, making it a famous philosophical example of inductive reasoning failure. It is the state emblem of Western Australia. Black swans form lifelong pair bonds and both parents share in incubation and care of cygnets.