American Black Duck vs African Pygmy-goose
Anas rubripes compared with Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Black Duck | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas rubripes | Nettapus auritus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) | 272.5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fish and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts toward molluscs … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 1-17 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
American Black Duck only
African Pygmy-goose only
None
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.
African Pygmy-goose
Freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers with floating water lilies and other aquatic vegetation across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Tanzania. Nests in tree cavities near water. Highly dependent on water lily vegetation.
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.
African Pygmy-goose
Male produces a soft, wheezy whistle; female gives a quiet, duck-like quack. Pairs exchange rapid twittering notes during courtship on lily-covered African pools.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Black Duck
Breeds in the steppe zone of Central Asia; winters in South Asia, East Africa, and coastal Southeast Asia.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
American Black Duck
African Pygmy-goose
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 …
African Pygmy-goose
Tiny. Males have glossy dark green head with orange facial patch and ear spot; chestnut-orange flanks; white underparts; black and green back. Females duller with dark eye-stripe. Small yellow-green bill.
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.
African Pygmy-goose
A tiny jewel-like duck—one of Africa's smallest waterfowl. Males have iridescent green-and-white plumage, an orange bill, and a dark green cap; females are mottled brown. Found on lily-covered lakes in sub-Saharan Africa. Perches on water lily pads and feeds on their seeds and flowers.