Laysan Duck vs Mute Swan
Anas laysanensis compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Laysan Duck | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas laysanensis | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 39.7 cm (15.6 in) | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 465.25 g (16.41 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for small fish, aquatic invertebrates, and amphibians; serrated bill grips prey; diet fish-heavy in … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | 9-13 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Laysan Duck
Restricted to Laysan Island and Midway Atoll in the Hawaiian Islands. Inhabits the central hypersaline lagoon and surrounding vegetation. Feeds on brine shrimp and flies around the lagoon margin.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Laysan Duck
Female gives a soft, muffled quacking series; male utters a quiet rasp. Extremely rare; the soft, unobtrusive quacking calls are seldom heard on the remote Laysan Island lagoon.
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
Laysan Duck
Resident in West Africa from Senegal to Nigeria; inhabits rainforest streams and swamps. Sedentary and locally common.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Laysan Duck
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Laysan Duck
Brown plumage mottled and streaked buff and dark brown. White eye-ring contrasts with dark face. Both sexes similar; females show reduced white eye ring. Iridescent speculum. Critically endangered; only on …
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
Laysan Duck
A tiny brown dabbling duck with distinctive white around the eye and green speculum. The most range-restricted waterfowl in the world; endemic to Laysan Island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Critically Endangered; brought back from single digits in the early 20th century. Feeds on brine flies.
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.