Hardhead vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Aythya australis compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hardhead | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya australis | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 42.7 cm (16.8 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 803.75 g (28.35 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal habitats; diet shifts between invertebrate types … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 6-18 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Hardhead
Deep freshwater lakes, rivers, and reservoirs across Australia and New Guinea. Nomadic in Australia, following seasonal inland flooding. Prefers deep water with submerged aquatic plants.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.
Song & Call Comparison
Hardhead
Male produces a deep, purring wheeze; female gives a grating quacking series. Calls closely resemble Common Pochard; the female's harsh notes carry far across Australian freshwater lakes.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.
Geographic Range & Migration
Hardhead
Breeds in northern prairie potholes; winters along the Pacific coast of North America from British Columbia to Baja California.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Conservation Status
Hardhead
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Hardhead
Males dark chocolate-brown with white undertail and flanks. White eye conspicuous. Blue-gray bill with white band and black tip. Females similar but brown with brown eye. Bold white wing stripe …
Wandering Whistling-duck
Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Hardhead
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have rich chestnut-brown body, white eye, and blue-grey bill; females are similar but duller. Australia's only widespread diving duck. Nomadic; follows inland flooding. Forms large rafts on deep lakes.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.