Indian Spot-billed Duck vs Mute Swan
Anas poecilorhyncha compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Spot-billed Duck | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas poecilorhyncha | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 54.4 cm (21.4 in) | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 1220.0 g (43.03 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for fish and aquatic invertebrates in clear cold streams; serrated bill adapted for catching … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | 6-12 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
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.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
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.
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
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Resident in freshwater lakes and rivers across Southeast Asia, from Myanmar to Indonesia and the Philippines.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Mute Swan
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 …
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
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.
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.