American Black Duck vs Canada Goose
Anas rubripes compared with Branta canadensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Black Duck | Canada Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas rubripes | Branta canadensis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) | 84.6 cm (33.3 in) |
| Weight | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) | 4906.599999999999 g (173.08 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fish and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts toward molluscs … | Grazes aquatic vegetation and grasses in Arctic tundra; migrates south to winter on estuaries eating … |
| Clutch Size | 1-17 | 1-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
American Black Duck only
Canada Goose only
American Black Duck
Freshwater and brackish wetlands in eastern North America from Atlantic Canada south along the coast to Georgia. Breeds in northern bogs and wetlands. Winters on coastal marshes, estuaries, and freshwater lakes.
Canada Goose
Lakes, rivers, ponds, parks, golf courses, agricultural fields, and coastal marshes across North America. Breeds on ground near water. Many populations now resident year-round in temperate urban areas.
Song & Call Comparison
American Black Duck
Female produces a loud, deep quacking series; male gives a low, raspy grunt. Voice is deeper and huskier than a Mallard; pairs call powerfully across northeastern North American wetlands.
Canada Goose
A loud, resonant 'a-honk' or 'hrr-onk'. Flocks produce a constant clamoring honk during migration. Also gives softer cackling contact calls. One of the most recognizable bird sounds.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Black Duck
Breeds in the steppe zone of Central Asia; winters in South Asia, East Africa, and coastal Southeast Asia.
Canada Goose
Breeds across Canada and Alaska; winters from the contiguous US to northern Mexico. Introduced populations resident in Europe and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
American Black Duck
Canada Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
American Black Duck
Sooty dark brown body; head and neck paler buff with dark streaking. Iridescent purple speculum without white border. Males have yellow-green bill; females olive with orange blotches. Silvery underwings in …
Canada Goose
Black head and long neck with bold white chin strap. Back and wings brown-gray; underparts pale tan to white on belly. White undertail coverts. Tail black. Large and familiar; sexes …
About These Birds
American Black Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck closely resembling a very dark female Mallard, with purple speculum, yellowish-olive bill in males, and orange legs. Common in eastern North America. Hybridizes freely with Mallard; pure populations declining in the interior.
Canada Goose
A large familiar goose with a black head and neck, white chinstrap patch, brown body, and white undertail. The most widespread goose in North America. Populations have dramatically expanded in urban parks due to adaptability. Migratory in the northern range; increasingly resident in temperate regions.