African Black Duck vs Greylag Goose
Anas sparsa compared with Anser anser
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Greylag Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Anser anser |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 87.1 cm (34.3 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 3297.5 g (116.32 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 3-12 |
| 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.
Greylag Goose
Breeds on moorland, bogs, freshwater wetlands, and lake margins across Eurasia from Iceland to central Asia. Winters on estuaries, agricultural fields, and wetlands. Feral populations year-round in parks.
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.
Greylag Goose
A deep, loud 'aahng' honking. The ancestral goose of domesticated geese; its call is the template for the classic 'goose honk'. Flocks are highly vocal in flight.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Greylag Goose
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 …
Greylag Goose
Large and heavy; uniformly gray-brown with pale feather fringes on back. Head and neck grayish-brown. Orange-pink bill; pink legs. Pale gray forewing conspicuous in flight. Ancestor of domestic geese.
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.
Greylag Goose
The ancestor of most domestic geese, with grey-brown plumage, an orange bill, and pale grey forewing visible in flight. Large and boisterous; one of Europe's most familiar geese. Wild birds breed across Eurasia; re-introduced and feral populations now resident in many areas including city parks.