White-winged Duck vs Black Swan
Asarcornis scutulata compared with Cygnus atratus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-winged Duck | Black Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Asarcornis scutulata | Cygnus atratus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 68.3 cm (26.9 in) | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) |
| Weight | 2950.0 g (104.06 oz) | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, plant material, and aquatic invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet varies widely … | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
White-winged Duck
Undisturbed lowland tropical forest near slow rivers, pools, and forest swamps at low elevations in northeastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sumatra. Requires large trees with nest cavities near permanent water.
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Song & Call Comparison
White-winged Duck
Critically endangered; extremely rare in wild. Gives low guttural hissing calls and soft wing-beating sounds. Vocalizations in wild scarcely documented given its rarity.
Black Swan
Gives a musical bugling 'boo-boo-boo' in flight and softer honking on water. Less vocal than Mute Swan; produces a baying call when alarmed. Wings whistle softly in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
White-winged Duck
Breeds in northern Eurasia; winters in sub-Saharan Africa. A classic Palearctic–African migrant with a wide wintering range.
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Conservation Status
White-winged Duck
Black Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
White-winged Duck
Dark brown body with pale spotting on head and neck. Bold white wing patch visible in flight. Yellowish-orange bill; legs orange. Head pale buffish-white speckled brown. Critically endangered SE Asian …
Black Swan
Almost entirely black with white flight feathers visible in flight. Red bill with a white band near the tip. Dark red to reddish-brown iris.
Bright red bill with a pale tip and prominent white band
About These Birds
White-winged Duck
A large dark duck with a pale speckled head, brownish body, and broad white wing patch visible in flight. One of Asia's most endangered ducks. Found in undisturbed lowland forest near rivers in South and Southeast Asia. Nests in large tree hollows. Threatened by deforestation and hunting.
Black Swan
The black swan was once considered impossible by Europeans who believed all swans were white, making it a famous philosophical example of inductive reasoning failure. It is the state emblem of Western Australia. Black swans form lifelong pair bonds and both parents share in incubation and care of cygnets.