Baer's Pochard vs Mallard
Aythya baeri compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Baer's Pochard | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya baeri | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 40.4 cm (15.9 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 707.25 g (24.95 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 6-13 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
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.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
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 …
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Baer's Pochard
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Baer's Pochard
Mallard
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 …
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
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.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.