Tufted Duck vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Aythya fuligula compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Tufted Duck | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya fuligula | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.4 cm (15.5 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 700.0 g (24.69 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic prey in coastal … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 3-22 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Tufted Duck
Breeds on freshwater lakes and rivers with emergent vegetation across Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe east to Siberia and Japan. Winters on large open lakes, reservoirs, and sheltered coastal bays.
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
Tufted Duck
Male emits a soft, low wheeze; female gives a grating, repeated quack. A common call on Eurasian freshwater lakes; male's soft purring is quiet while female's quacking is emphatic and …
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
Tufted Duck
Breeds in sub-Arctic and boreal Canada; winters along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. Rare elsewhere in winter.
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
Tufted Duck
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Tufted Duck
Males black with white flanks; rounded head with long drooping black tuft. Yellow eye. Females dark brown with shorter tuft; pale flanks; sometimes white at base of bill. Bold white …
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
Tufted Duck
A small compact diving duck. Males are boldly black-and-white with a drooping crest; females are brown with a shorter crest. Common and widespread across Eurasia. Males are highly distinctive. Dives for molluscs, invertebrates, and plants in freshwater and coastal habitats.
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.