African Black Duck vs Paradise Shelduck
Anas sparsa compared with Tadorna variegata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Paradise Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Tadorna variegata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 70.2 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 1569.5 g (55.36 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Eats seeds, grasses, and aquatic invertebrates; grazes near water; dabbles in shallows; diet varies with … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 5-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
African Black Duck only
None
Paradise Shelduck only
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.
Paradise Shelduck
Open farmland, grassland, lake shores, riverbeds, and wetlands throughout both main islands of New Zealand. Nests in caves, burrows, hollow trees, and dense vegetation. Highly territorial in the breeding season.
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.
Paradise Shelduck
Male gives a high-pitched whistle; female gives a loud, harsh cackling call 'rak-rak-rak'. New Zealand's only endemic shelduck; calls echoing in open farmland are distinctive.
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.
Paradise Shelduck
Breeds in Eurasia from the UK to Siberia; winters across sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Paradise Shelduck
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 …
Paradise Shelduck
Extreme dimorphism. Males have black head with green gloss and black-and-chestnut body. Females have pure white head and neck contrasting with rich chestnut-rufous body. Both show white wing patches. New …
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.
Paradise Shelduck
New Zealand's most colorful duck with strong sexual dimorphism: males have dark greenish-black body; females are strikingly white-headed with chestnut body. Endemic and common. Found across New Zealand's grasslands, farmland, and wetlands. A significant game species traditionally harvested by Māori.