African Black Duck vs Ruddy-headed Goose
Anas sparsa compared with Chloephaga rubidiceps
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Ruddy-headed Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Chloephaga rubidiceps |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 65.1 cm (25.6 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 1756.8333333333333 g (61.97 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 3-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
African Black Duck
Fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams, mountain gorges, and waterfalls from sea level to 4,000 m across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Requires clear turbulent water with boulders.
Ruddy-headed Goose
Breeds on open tussock grasslands and moorland in Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands. Mainland wintering population on Patagonian grasslands now critically small. Falkland Islands population relatively stable.
Song & Call Comparison
African Black Duck
Produces a harsh, resonant quacking call; alarm is a loud, emphatic quack repeated rapidly. Both sexes call with strong quacking; pairs duet with synchronized calls along African rivers.
Ruddy-headed Goose
A high, whistled 'whee' from males and a cackling rattle from females. Calls similar to Ashy-headed Goose. Falkland Islands population; calls in open coastal grassland.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Ruddy-headed Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
African Black Duck
Dark blackish-brown plumage with bold white spots on back and scapulars. Iridescent blue-green speculum with white borders. Head dark with pale spots. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar. Fast-flowing …
Ruddy-headed Goose
Distinctive rufous-brown head and neck; body barred rufous and black above; underparts buff-white finely barred. Orange-yellow legs. White wing patches in flight. Compact; sexes similar. Falklands and Patagonia.
About These Birds
African Black Duck
A medium-sized dark brown duck with white spots on the back, a dark bill, and orange legs. Found along fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams in Africa. Territorial and monogamous; pairs defend stretches of river. Related to Pacific Black Duck.
Ruddy-headed Goose
A small sheldgoose with a rich rufous-brown head and neck, buff-white belly, and barred back. One of the world's rarest geese; mainland population now nearly extinct. Breeds in Tierra del Fuego; main stronghold remains the Falkland Islands. Winters on the Argentine pampas.