African Black Duck vs Hooded Merganser
Anas sparsa compared with Lophodytes cucullatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Hooded Merganser |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Lophodytes cucullatus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 37.3 cm (14.7 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 638.0 g (22.50 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Dives for small fish, aquatic invertebrates, and frogs in clear freshwater streams and ponds. Uses … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 6-18 |
| 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.
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.
Hooded Merganser
Male produces a low, rolling rolling-tum tumbling call; female gives a harsh, grating quack. The male's frog-like rolling call is unique among North American ducks during winter courtship.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Hooded Merganser
Breeds in forested wetlands of North America from southern Canada to the northern United States. Winters on rivers and lakes south to Mexico.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Hooded Merganser
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 …
Hooded Merganser
Male has fan-shaped black-and-white erectile crest; black head and neck, white breast with two black bars, rich cinnamon flanks. Female is greyish-brown with rusty-cinnamon crest, paler below.
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.
Hooded Merganser
A small fish-eating duck (~640 g) of family Anatidae, males bearing a dramatic fan-shaped black and white crest. Breeds in wooded swamps, rivers, and lakes in North America, nesting in tree cavities; winters on sheltered coastal and inland waters. Uses keen underwater vision to hunt fish and crayfish. Least Concern; benefiting from nest box programs.