Baer's Pochard vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Aythya baeri compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Baer's Pochard | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya baeri | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 40.4 cm (15.9 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 707.25 g (24.95 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs and aquatic invertebrates; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic prey in coastal shallow-water … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 6-13 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Baer's Pochard
Breeds on lakes and rivers in boreal forests of eastern Siberia and northeastern China. Winters on freshwater lakes and wetlands in eastern and southeastern Asia. Critically Endangered; tiny remaining population.
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
Baer's Pochard
Male gives a low, grating wheeze; female produces a harsh quacking series. Calls resemble Tufted Duck but slightly softer; among the rarest duck calls in East Asia due to its …
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
Baer's Pochard
Breeds in Arctic Canada and Alaska; winters at sea off both US coasts and in the Great Lakes during migration.
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
Baer's Pochard
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Baer's Pochard
Males have dark glossy greenish-black head; chestnut breast; white flanks and undertail. White eye. Females brown with chestnut breast and pale face patch. White wing stripe in flight. Critically endangered …
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
Baer's Pochard
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a glossy green-black head, chestnut breast, and white flanks; females are brown. Critically Endangered; one of the fastest declining ducks in Asia. Breeds in eastern Siberia; winters in eastern China and Southeast Asia. Threatened by hunting.
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.