Black Swan vs Common Goldeneye
Cygnus atratus compared with Bucephala clangula
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Swan | Common Goldeneye |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus atratus | Bucephala clangula |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) | 41.7 cm (16.4 in) |
| Weight | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) | 921.0 g (32.49 oz) |
| Diet | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … | Dives for aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish. Forages in lakes, rivers, and coastal … |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 1-28 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Song & Call Comparison
Black Swan
Gives a musical bugling 'boo-boo-boo' in flight and softer honking on water. Less vocal than Mute Swan; produces a baying call when alarmed. Wings whistle softly in flight.
Common Goldeneye
Male emits a buzzy, insect-like zeee-zeee-zeee wing whistle; female gives a grating quack. The mechanical wing-whistle produced by the male in display flight is the species' most distinctive sound.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Common Goldeneye
Breeds across boreal forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters on coasts and large lakes south to the Mediterranean and the Gulf states.
Conservation Status
Black Swan
Common Goldeneye
How to Tell Them Apart
Black Swan
Almost entirely black with white flight feathers visible in flight. Red bill with a white band near the tip. Dark red to reddish-brown iris.
Bright red bill with a pale tip and prominent white band
Common Goldeneye
Male has glossy green-black head with round white spot at bill base; body white with black back and scapulars; yellow eye. Female has chocolate-brown head, white collar, and grey body.
About These Birds
Black Swan
The black swan was once considered impossible by Europeans who believed all swans were white, making it a famous philosophical example of inductive reasoning failure. It is the state emblem of Western Australia. Black swans form lifelong pair bonds and both parents share in incubation and care of cygnets.
Common Goldeneye
A medium-sized diving duck (~920 g) of family Anatidae, males with iridescent green heads and a round white cheek spot. Breeds near boreal lakes and rivers, nesting in tree cavities across Eurasia and North America; winters on coastal and inland waters. Dives for invertebrates, fish, and plant matter. Least Concern with widespread distribution.