African Black Duck vs Ring-necked Duck
Anas sparsa compared with Aythya collaris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Ring-necked Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Aythya collaris |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 39.0 cm (15.4 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 825.5 g (29.12 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal water; diet dominated by benthic … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 6-14 |
| 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.
Ring-necked Duck
Breeds on boreal lakes and bogs in North America from Alaska and Canada south to the northern United States. Winters on freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and marshes across the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean.
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.
Ring-necked Duck
Male produces a low, purring wheeze; female gives a harsh, rolling quack. The purring male call is understated; found on North American freshwater lakes; female calls are emphatic and nasal.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Breeds in western Arctic Canada and Alaska; winters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Ring-necked Duck
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 …
Ring-necked Duck
Males black back and breast; gray flanks with white vertical mark near breast. Iridescent dark purple head with subtle chestnut neck ring. Bill blue-gray with white ring near tip. Females …
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.
Ring-necked Duck
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a glossy black head and breast, white flank stripe, and a grey bill with a white ring near the tip; females are brown. Named for an inconspicuous brown neck ring. Common in North America. Dives for aquatic plants and invertebrates.