Grey Teal vs Mallard
Anas gracilis compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Teal | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas gracilis | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 38.4 cm (15.1 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 504.25 g (17.79 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 7-8 | 4-18 |
| 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.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
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.
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Grey Teal
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Grey Teal
Mallard
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. …
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
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.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.