Philippine Duck vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Anas luzonica compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Philippine Duck | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas luzonica | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 47.4 cm (18.7 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 850.1666666666666 g (29.99 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for fish in fast Andean rivers; strong swimmer; serrated bill grips slippery prey; diet … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 7-16 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Philippine Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, marshes, mangroves, and rice paddies across the Philippine archipelago. Primarily in lowland and foothill areas below 2,500 m. Threatened by hunting and wetland conversion.
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
Philippine Duck
Female gives a loud, descending quacking series; male produces a soft, nasal note. Strong quacking calls echo across Philippine wetlands; alarm is a rapid, emphatic quacking burst.
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
Philippine Duck
Found from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa through the Middle East to South Asia. Largely sedentary in freshwater habitats.
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
Philippine Duck
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Philippine Duck
Cinnamon-buff head and neck; dark brown-black crown and eye stripe conspicuous. Body grayish-brown with darker back. Iridescent green speculum. Blue-gray bill; orange legs. Sexes similar. Philippine endemic.
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
Philippine Duck
A medium-sized duck with a distinctive rufous head and neck, grey-brown body, and blue-green speculum. Endemic to the Philippines. Listed as Vulnerable; threatened by hunting and wetland degradation. Found in a range of lowland freshwater habitats across the Philippines.
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.