African Black Duck vs Ferruginous Duck
Anas sparsa compared with Aythya nyroca
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Ferruginous Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Aythya nyroca |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 36.5 cm (14.4 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 594.1666666666666 g (20.96 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 4-17 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
African Black Duck
Fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams, mountain gorges, and waterfalls from sea level to 4,000 m across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Requires clear turbulent water with boulders.
Ferruginous Duck
Freshwater lakes, marshes, and river deltas with dense emergent vegetation in southern Eurasia from central Europe east to Central Asia and China. Winters in the Mediterranean, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Song & Call Comparison
African Black Duck
Produces a harsh, resonant quacking call; alarm is a loud, emphatic quack repeated rapidly. Both sexes call with strong quacking; pairs duet with synchronized calls along African rivers.
Ferruginous Duck
Male emits a soft, wheeling purr; female gives a harsh, rapid quacking series. The male's quiet purring display call contrasts with the female's repeated, grating notes on Mediterranean marshes.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Ferruginous Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
African Black Duck
Dark blackish-brown plumage with bold white spots on back and scapulars. Iridescent blue-green speculum with white borders. Head dark with pale spots. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar. Fast-flowing …
Ferruginous Duck
Rich chestnut-brown head, neck and breast; white undertail conspicuous. White eye in males (brown in females). Dark back. Bold white wing stripe in flight. Compact and rounded. Males brighter chestnut; …
About These Birds
African Black Duck
A medium-sized dark brown duck with white spots on the back, a dark bill, and orange legs. Found along fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams in Africa. Territorial and monogamous; pairs defend stretches of river. Related to Pacific Black Duck.
Ferruginous Duck
A small compact diving duck. Males have rich chestnut-brown head and body, white eye, and white undertail; females are duller. Found across Eurasia and Africa. Locally common on Mediterranean and Central Asian lakes; population declining. Near Threatened globally.