Black Swan vs Plumed Whistling-duck
Cygnus atratus compared with Dendrocygna eytoni
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Swan | Plumed Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus atratus | Dendrocygna eytoni |
| 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) | 46.4 cm (18.3 in) |
| Weight | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) | 877.5 g (30.95 oz) |
| Diet | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … | Grazes short tundra grasses; also takes aquatic vegetation; large Arctic goose wintering on coastal marshes … |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 8-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Plumed Whistling-duck
Grassy tropical wetland margins, flooded plains, and well-watered pastures in northern and eastern Australia. Grazes on land near water at night; rests on open ground or in trees during the day.
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.
Plumed Whistling-duck
A high, reedy whistling call similar to other Dendrocygna. Plumed Whistling-duck gives 'grassy' grassland calls. Less musical than White-faced; contact notes are short whistles.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Plumed Whistling-duck
Breeds in the Holarctic tundra and boreal zones; winters on temperate coasts and large inland lakes globally.
Conservation Status
Black Swan
Plumed Whistling-duck
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
Plumed Whistling-duck
Pale brown head and neck; chestnut-brown back. Distinctive long, pale golden plumes extend from flanks. Breast pale pink with dark spots. Belly pale. Long pink legs. Upright posture. Sexes similar.
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.
Plumed Whistling-duck
A large whistling-duck with long buff flank plumes extending beyond the folded wings, brown body, pink bill, and upright posture. Endemic to Australia. Gregarious, forming large grazing flocks on grasslands near water. Feeds mainly on grasses and sedges rather than aquatic plants.