African Black Duck vs Comb Duck
Anas sparsa compared with Sarkidiornis sylvicola
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Comb Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Sarkidiornis sylvicola |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 60.9 cm (24.0 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 1817.5 g (64.11 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Feeds on seeds, plant material, and invertebrates; dabbles and sifts shallow water; diet varies widely … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | -- |
| 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.
Comb Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, flooded savannas, and seasonally inundated forest in lowland tropical South America from Panama south to Bolivia, Brazil, and northern Argentina. Nests in tree cavities near permanent water.
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.
Comb Duck
A soft, nasal 'wuk-wuk' call. Both sexes give similar quiet calls. Generally a less vocal duck than most waterfowl. Gives a rattling wingbeat sound during flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Comb Duck
Breeds in the prairie pothole region of central North America; winters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Comb 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 …
Comb Duck
Males have white head densely spotted black; black back with blue-green iridescence; white underparts with gray flanks. Prominent black fleshy knob on bill. Females smaller, duller, lack knob. South American.
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.
Comb Duck
A large pied duck with a black-and-white body and, in males, a large black knob on the upper mandible during breeding season. The New World Comb Duck found from Panama to northern Argentina. Nests in tree cavities near lakes. Feeds by dabbling and grazing in wetland margins.