Indian Spot-billed Duck vs Spotted Whistling-duck
Anas poecilorhyncha compared with Dendrocygna guttata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Spot-billed Duck | Spotted Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas poecilorhyncha | Dendrocygna guttata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 54.4 cm (21.4 in) | 41.3 cm (16.3 in) |
| Weight | 1220.0 g (43.03 oz) | 677.5 g (23.90 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for fish and aquatic invertebrates in clear cold streams; serrated bill adapted for catching … | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … |
| Clutch Size | 6-12 | 10-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Indian Spot-billed Duck only
None
Spotted Whistling-duck only
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, marshes, rice paddies, and tanks across the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia. Common near human habitation. Largely sedentary with some local seasonal movement.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Freshwater wetlands, rice fields, streams, and forest pools in New Guinea, Sulawesi, the Philippines, and Moluccas. Often found near forested rivers and seasonal swamps at low elevations.
Song & Call Comparison
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Female gives a loud, emphatic quacking series; male produces a raspy rehb note. Calls are Mallard-like but slightly lower; flocks create a cacophonous quacking chorus on Indian lakes.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A musical, high whistle similar to other whistling-ducks. Call is softer and less far-carrying than White-faced or Black-bellied species. Given in flight and on water.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Resident in freshwater lakes and rivers across Southeast Asia, from Myanmar to Indonesia and the Philippines.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.
Conservation Status
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Spotted Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Large brownish duck with pale face and distinctive yellow-tipped black bill with red basal spot. Dark cap and eye stripe. Iridescent green speculum with white border. White tertials visible at …
Spotted Whistling-duck
Dark brown above; head and neck dark brown. Underparts heavily spotted white on dark brown ground, giving spotted appearance. Flanks with bold white spots. Pink-red bill and legs. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Indian Spot-billed Duck
A large brown dabbling duck with distinctive yellow-tipped black bill, red spot at the bill base, white tertials, and blue-green speculum. Common across South and Southeast Asia. Found in a wide range of freshwater habitats. Largely non-migratory.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A small dark brown whistling-duck with bold white spots on its flanks, orange-red bill and legs, and a pale face. Found in tropical wetlands of New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Often found near freshwater streams and flooded grassland. Less gregarious than other whistling-ducks.