African Black Duck vs Cackling Goose
Anas sparsa compared with Branta hutchinsii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Cackling Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Branta hutchinsii |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 79.3 cm (31.2 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 1801.8 g (63.56 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Grazes aquatic vegetation and sedges in Northern Hemisphere wetlands; migratory; winter diet of eelgrass and … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 3-6 |
| 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.
Cackling Goose
Breeds on low-lying Arctic and subarctic tundra. Winters on grasslands, agricultural fields, and coastal marshes in the central and western United States. Often found in mixed flocks with Canada Geese.
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.
Cackling Goose
A high-pitched, yelping 'luk-luk' or 'likl-likl' — higher-pitched and smaller-sounding than Canada Goose. Given rapidly in flock flight. Useful identification feature.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Resident across South and Southeast Asia, from India to southern China and the Philippines. Non-migratory in most of its range.
Cackling Goose
Breeds in Arctic Canada; winters on the Atlantic coast from New England to Florida, occasionally to the Bahamas and Gulf Coast.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Cackling Goose
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 …
Cackling Goose
Resembles miniature Canada Goose; black head and neck with white chin strap. Brown-gray back; pale underparts. White undertail. Short neck and stubby bill distinguish from Canada Goose. Sexes similar.
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.
Cackling Goose
A small version of the Canada Goose with a stubby bill, rounded head, and shorter neck. Long treated as a subspecies; now recognized as a separate species with four subspecies. Migrates from Arctic breeding grounds to wintering areas in the central United States. Gregarious; mixes with Canada Geese in winter.