Meller's Duck vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Anas melleri compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Meller's Duck | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas melleri | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.1 cm (19.3 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 1023.625 g (36.11 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for fish and aquatic invertebrates in fast-flowing rivers; serrated bill grips slippery fish; diet … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 5-11 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Meller's Duck
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and rice paddies in the eastern highlands and north of Madagascar. Prefers undisturbed native forest wetlands. Endangered by hunting and habitat 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
Meller's Duck
Female produces a loud, resonant quacking sequence; male gives a soft, nasal grunt. This large Malagasy duck vocalizes with powerful quacking calls along forest rivers and marshes.
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
Meller's Duck
Resident in wetlands and lakes from Turkey and Egypt through East Africa to the Cape. Non-migratory and widely distributed.
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
Meller's Duck
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Meller's Duck
Dark brown-olive plumage streaked and mottled with pale buff; resembles large dark Mallard without green head. Iridescent green speculum with white borders. Yellow-brown bill; orange legs. Madagascar 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
Meller's Duck
A large brown dabbling duck resembling a female Mallard but larger, with green iridescent speculum and orange bill. Endemic to Madagascar. Endangered; threatened by hunting and wetland loss. One of Madagascar's rarest birds.
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.