Labrador Duck vs Black-headed Duck
Camptorhynchus labradorius compared with Heteronetta atricapilla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Labrador Duck | Black-headed Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Camptorhynchus labradorius | Heteronetta atricapilla |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Extinct | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) |
| Weight | 673.5 g (23.76 oz) | 528.5 g (18.64 oz) |
| Diet | Extinct; soft spatulate bill suggests feeding on soft-shelled benthic molluscs and crustaceans in shallow coastal … | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Labrador Duck
Historically inhabited sandy coastal bays, estuaries, and mussel beds from Labrador to the mid-Atlantic United States. Extinct since 1878. Nesting grounds never confirmed; likely bred in Labrador.
Song & Call Comparison
Labrador Duck
Extinct (EX). No recordings exist. This North American scoter relative likely gave a quiet, grunting call during display based on the bill morphology suggesting possible unusual vocalizations.
Black-headed Duck
Male gives a soft, raspy peeping note; female produces a muted quack. An obligate brood parasite with reduced vocalizations; subdued calls suit its secretive lifestyle among Argentine reeds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Labrador Duck
Formerly along the eastern coast of North America from Labrador to Chesapeake Bay. Extinct by 1878; last specimen shot in New York.
Black-headed Duck
Resident in southern South America from southern Brazil and Bolivia south to Argentina and Chile. Found on lakes and marshes in open lowlands.
Conservation Status
Labrador Duck
Black-headed Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Labrador Duck
Extinct; males had white head and breast with black back, wings and belly; distinctive white wing patch. Broad bill with comb-like lamellae. Females brown. Last specimen 1875; first North American …
Black-headed Duck
Male has distinctive jet-black head and neck, warm chestnut-brown back, and pale buff underparts; blue-grey bill with red base. Female is streaked brown above with pale supercilium and whitish underparts.
About These Birds
Labrador Duck
An extinct sea duck from eastern North America; the first North American bird to go extinct after European contact. Males had boldly contrasting black-and-white plumage with an unusual flattened soft-edged bill adapted for filter-feeding on mussel beds. Last confirmed sighting in 1878.
Black-headed Duck
A small diving duck (~530 g) of South America, family Anatidae, and the sole member of genus Heteronetta. Inhabits freshwater marshes and lakes in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Unique among waterfowl as an obligate brood parasite, laying eggs in nests of coots and other waterbirds. Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.