Grey Teal vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Anas gracilis compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Teal | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas gracilis | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 38.4 cm (15.1 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 504.25 g (17.79 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in shallow coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 7-8 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
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.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.
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.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.
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.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Conservation Status
Grey Teal
Wandering Whistling-duck
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. …
Wandering Whistling-duck
Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.
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.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.