Labrador Duck vs Mute Swan
Camptorhynchus labradorius compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Labrador Duck | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Camptorhynchus labradorius | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Extinct | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | — | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 673.5 g (23.76 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Extinct; soft spatulate bill suggests feeding on soft-shelled benthic molluscs and crustaceans in shallow coastal … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
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.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
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.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
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.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Labrador Duck
Mute Swan
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 …
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
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.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.