African Black Duck vs Tundra Bean Goose
Anas sparsa compared with Anser serrirostris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Tundra Bean Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Anser serrirostris |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | — |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 2540.0 g (89.60 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 3-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
African Black Duck
Fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams, mountain gorges, and waterfalls from sea level to 4,000 m across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Requires clear turbulent water with boulders.
Tundra Bean Goose
Breeds on Arctic and subarctic tundra in Siberia. Winters on agricultural land, river floodplains, and wetlands in eastern China, Japan, and Korea, with some wintering in western Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
African Black Duck
Produces a harsh, resonant quacking call; alarm is a loud, emphatic quack repeated rapidly. Both sexes call with strong quacking; pairs duet with synchronized calls along African rivers.
Tundra Bean Goose
A nasal, lower call compared to Taiga Bean Goose. Considered subspecifically or specifically distinct; vocalizations are an active taxonomic tool for separation in mixed flocks.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Tundra Bean Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
African Black Duck
Dark blackish-brown plumage with bold white spots on back and scapulars. Iridescent blue-green speculum with white borders. Head dark with pale spots. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar. Fast-flowing …
Tundra Bean Goose
Dark brown head and neck; grayish-brown back with pale feather fringing. Underparts pale gray-brown. Orange-yellow legs. Bill black with orange subterminal band. Recently split from Taiga Bean Goose.
About These Birds
African Black Duck
A medium-sized dark brown duck with white spots on the back, a dark bill, and orange legs. Found along fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams in Africa. Territorial and monogamous; pairs defend stretches of river. Related to Pacific Black Duck.
Tundra Bean Goose
A large brown goose with dark head and neck, orange-patterned black bill, and orange legs. Separated from Taiga Bean Goose as a distinct species. Breeds on Arctic and subarctic tundra; winters in eastern Asia and occasionally western Europe. More common in Japan and eastern China.