African Black Duck vs Flying Steamerduck
Anas sparsa compared with Tachyeres patachonicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Flying Steamerduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Tachyeres patachonicus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 57.4 cm (22.6 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 2620.75 g (92.44 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Dabbles for seeds, invertebrates, and aquatic vegetation; widespread; diet varies from predominantly plant-based to invertebrate-rich. |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 5-9 |
| 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.
Flying Steamerduck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, coastal bays, and channels in Patagonian Chile and Argentina from the Lakes Region south to Tierra del Fuego. Partially migratory; some populations move to coasts in winter.
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.
Flying Steamerduck
A harsh, rattling 'rrrrr' and nasal calls. Flying Steamerduck can fly (unlike some relatives) and gives vocal calls in flight. Contact calls are clattering and guttural.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Resident across South and Southeast Asia, from India to southern China and the Philippines. Non-migratory in most of its range.
Flying Steamerduck
Breeds across the boreal and subarctic zone of North America; winters broadly across the southern United States and Mexico.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Flying Steamerduck
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 …
Flying Steamerduck
Males gray with chestnut-brown breast and white eye-stripe. Females brown-gray with white eye-ring and chestnut flanks. Orange-yellow bill. Only Tachyeres species capable of sustained flight. Wings larger.
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.
Flying Steamerduck
The only flying species among the four steamerducks, with grey plumage, rufous-washed head, and an orange-yellow bill. Can fly strongly unlike its relatives. Found in Patagonian freshwater and coastal habitats. Highly territorial; pairs defend stretches of river or lakeshore aggressively.