American Black Duck vs Goosander
Anas rubripes compared with Mergus merganser
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Black Duck | Goosander |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas rubripes | Mergus merganser |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) | 54.2 cm (21.3 in) |
| Weight | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) | 1488.0 g (52.49 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fish and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts toward molluscs … | Dives for fish, especially salmon and trout, in rivers and lakes. Also takes frogs, crustaceans, … |
| Clutch Size | 1-17 | 4-22 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
American Black Duck
Freshwater and brackish wetlands in eastern North America from Atlantic Canada south along the coast to Georgia. Breeds in northern bogs and wetlands. Winters on coastal marshes, estuaries, and freshwater lakes.
Song & Call Comparison
American Black Duck
Female produces a loud, deep quacking series; male gives a low, raspy grunt. Voice is deeper and huskier than a Mallard; pairs call powerfully across northeastern North American wetlands.
Goosander
Male gives a harsh, crow-like karrr call; female produces a guttural, grunting series. Both sexes produce loud, nasal calls; the male's harsh croaking is a distinctive winter river sound.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Black Duck
Breeds in the steppe zone of Central Asia; winters in South Asia, East Africa, and coastal Southeast Asia.
Goosander
Breeds across boreal forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters on coasts and large rivers south to the Mediterranean and South Asia.
Conservation Status
American Black Duck
Goosander
How to Tell Them Apart
American Black Duck
Sooty dark brown body; head and neck paler buff with dark streaking. Iridescent purple speculum without white border. Males have yellow-green bill; females olive with orange blotches. Silvery underwings in …
Goosander
Male has dark green iridescent head, salmon-pink suffused white body, and black back; red serrated bill. Female has rufous-brown head with neat white chin patch, grey body, and pinkish-buff breast.
About These Birds
American Black Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck closely resembling a very dark female Mallard, with purple speculum, yellowish-olive bill in males, and orange legs. Common in eastern North America. Hybridizes freely with Mallard; pure populations declining in the interior.
Goosander
The largest merganser (~1.5 kg) in family Anatidae, males with glossy green heads and salmon-flushed white bodies. Breeds along rivers and lakes in northern Europe, Asia, and North America; winters on larger rivers and reservoirs. A pursuit-diver specializing in fish, using a serrated bill for grip. Least Concern with stable Holarctic distribution.