Barrow's Goldeneye vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Bucephala islandica compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Barrow's Goldeneye | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bucephala islandica | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 44.3 cm (17.4 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 838.0 g (29.56 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for crustaceans, aquatic insects, and molluscs in mountain lakes and coastal bays. Diet similar … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 6-14 | 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
Barrow's Goldeneye
Male produces a whistled, nasal kaow-kaow call; female gives a harsh quacking series. The male's wheezy, double call differs from Common Goldeneye; heard on western North American lakes.
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
Barrow's Goldeneye
Breeds in Iceland, western Canada, and locally the western United States. Winters on coasts and lakes of the Pacific Northwest and eastern Canada.
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
Barrow's Goldeneye
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Barrow's Goldeneye
Male has iridescent purple-black head with crescent-shaped white facial patch; white body with black scapulars bearing bold white spots. Female grey with brown head, white collar; head rounder than Common …
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
Barrow's Goldeneye
A medium-sized cavity-nesting duck (~840 g) in family Anatidae, males with purple-glossed heads and a crescent-shaped white face patch. Breeds near mountain lakes in western North America and Iceland; winters on coastal bays. Dives for invertebrates and small fish. Least Concern; dependent on large tree cavities for nesting.
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.