Hawaiian Duck vs Blue-billed Teal
Anas wyvilliana compared with Spatula hottentota
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hawaiian Duck | Blue-billed Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas wyvilliana | Spatula hottentota |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) | 29.4 cm (11.6 in) |
| Weight | 573.25 g (20.22 oz) | 269.2 g (9.50 oz) |
| Diet | Fish-diving duck of South American rivers; uses serrated bill to catch fish and aquatic invertebrates; … | Feeds on seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; filter-feeds in shallow water; broadly omnivorous and seasonally … |
| Clutch Size | 9-13 | 5-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Hawaiian Duck
Freshwater marshes, rivers, reservoirs, and taro fields on Kauai and other Hawaiian islands. Nests in dense vegetation near water. Threatened by hybridization with domestic or feral Mallards.
Blue-billed Teal
Freshwater lakes, marshes, pans, and flooded grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and Sudan south to the Cape. Nomadic; follows seasonal rains. Common but easily overlooked among reed beds.
Song & Call Comparison
Hawaiian Duck
Female produces a raspy, descending quacking series; male gives a soft, nasal sound. Calls similar to Mallard but higher-pitched; alarm is a rapid-fire quacking rattle.
Blue-billed Teal
Male utters a soft, teal-like peep; female gives a muted quack. Pairs call quietly in dense papyrus; soft contact calls help birds maintain proximity in thick African marsh vegetation.
Geographic Range & Migration
Hawaiian Duck
Ranges across sub-Saharan Africa in open grasslands and wetland edges. Locally nomadic following seasonal rainfall patterns.
Blue-billed Teal
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic Eurasia; winters at sea in the North Atlantic and from western Europe to eastern Africa.
Conservation Status
Hawaiian Duck
Blue-billed Teal
How to Tell Them Apart
Hawaiian Duck
Mottled brown plumage; males may show slight green gloss on head but reduced compared to Mallard. Iridescent blue-purple speculum with white borders. Orange bill. Females similar to males; pale buff …
Blue-billed Teal
Small; males have pale blue-gray bill contrasting with brown-gray body. Head finely spotted; underparts barred brown and white. Males show powder-blue forewing in flight. Females browner. African marsh species.
About These Birds
Hawaiian Duck
A medium-sized duck resembling a female Mallard, with mottled brown plumage and green speculum. Endemic to Hawaii; hybridizes with feral Mallards, threatening its genetic integrity. Found on freshwater wetlands of Kauai and other islands. Endangered; conservation focus on reducing hybridization.
Blue-billed Teal
A small dark teal with blue-grey bill and legs, brown-streaked plumage, and fine pale spotting on the flanks. The most widespread teal in sub-Saharan Africa. Found on freshwater lakes and marshes. Highly nomadic; follows seasonal rainfall. Swims low in the water like a pochard.