Common Pochard vs Spotted Whistling-duck
Aythya ferina compared with Dendrocygna guttata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Pochard | Spotted Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya ferina | Dendrocygna guttata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.7 cm (16.4 in) | 41.3 cm (16.3 in) |
| Weight | 845.5 g (29.82 oz) | 677.5 g (23.90 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow water; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic … | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … |
| Clutch Size | 3-22 | 10-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Common Pochard only
None
Spotted Whistling-duck only
Common Pochard
Breeds on freshwater lakes and marshes with emergent vegetation across Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe east to Siberia. Winters on large open lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Freshwater wetlands, rice fields, streams, and forest pools in New Guinea, Sulawesi, the Philippines, and Moluccas. Often found near forested rivers and seasonal swamps at low elevations.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Pochard
Male emits a soft, wheezing purr; female gives a harsh, grating quacking series. The male's gentle, sibilant purring contrasts with the female's loud, grating call on European and Asian lakes.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A musical, high whistle similar to other whistling-ducks. Call is softer and less far-carrying than White-faced or Black-bellied species. Given in flight and on water.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Pochard
Breeds across northern and central North America; winters in Mexico, Central America, and along both US coasts.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.
Conservation Status
Common Pochard
Spotted Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Pochard
Males have chestnut-red head and neck; black breast; pale gray body; black undertail. Red eye. Blue-gray bill with dark base and tip. Females brown with pale face and eye-ring. Gray …
Spotted Whistling-duck
Dark brown above; head and neck dark brown. Underparts heavily spotted white on dark brown ground, giving spotted appearance. Flanks with bold white spots. Pink-red bill and legs. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Common Pochard
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a rich chestnut-red head, black breast, and pale grey body; females are brown with a pale face. Widely distributed across Eurasia. Population declining sharply; Vulnerable on European Red List.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A small dark brown whistling-duck with bold white spots on its flanks, orange-red bill and legs, and a pale face. Found in tropical wetlands of New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Often found near freshwater streams and flooded grassland. Less gregarious than other whistling-ducks.