American Black Duck vs Red-breasted Goose
Anas rubripes compared with Branta ruficollis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Black Duck | Red-breasted Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas rubripes | Branta ruficollis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) | 69.1 cm (27.2 in) |
| Weight | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) | 1253.25 g (44.21 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-17 | 3-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
American Black Duck only
Red-breasted 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.
Red-breasted Goose
Breeds on river-terrace tundra in northwestern Siberia, often near Peregrine or Rough-legged Buzzard nests for protection. Winters on agricultural steppes and lake margins around the Black Sea and Caspian Sea.
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.
Red-breasted Goose
A high-pitched, rapid 'kik-kik-kik' call. More vocal during migration; flocks give constant chattering. Considered a more squeaky, high-pitched call than other Branta geese.
Conservation Status
American Black Duck
Red-breasted 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 …
Red-breasted Goose
Unmistakable; vivid chestnut-red patch on face and breast bordered by white stripes. Black crown, back, wings, and belly. White flank stripe and undertail. Compact and striking. Sexes similar.
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.
Red-breasted Goose
A small strikingly patterned goose with a vivid chestnut-red breast and face patch, black-and-white body, and white flank stripe. Breeds in Siberian tundra; winters mainly around the Black Sea. One of the most colorful and endangered geese, threatened by hunting and agricultural changes at wintering sites.