Bufflehead vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Bucephala albeola compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bufflehead | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bucephala albeola | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.2 cm (12.7 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 400.5 g (14.13 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small molluscs in freshwater and coastal habitats. One of … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 5-14 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Wandering Whistling-duck
Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.
Song & Call Comparison
Bufflehead
Male produces a soft, squeaky whistle; female gives a harsh, nasal quack. The male's thin, reedy whistle is barely audible; pairs exchange quiet contact calls at boreal forest ponds.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bufflehead
Breeds in boreal forest of western and central North America. Winters along both coasts and interior lakes from southern Canada south to Mexico.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Conservation Status
Bufflehead
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Bufflehead
Male has iridescent green-purple head with a large triangular white patch from behind eye over crown; body clean white except for black back. Female is dark sooty-brown with a single …
Wandering Whistling-duck
Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Bufflehead
North America's smallest diving duck (~400 g), family Anatidae, males iridescent purple-green with a large white head patch. Breeds in forested areas near ponds and lakes, nesting in woodpecker cavities; winters on coastal bays and inland waters. Feeds on aquatic invertebrates and small fish. Least Concern with stable populations.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.