Long-tailed Duck vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Clangula hyemalis compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Long-tailed Duck | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Clangula hyemalis | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 43.1 cm (17.0 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 782.0 g (27.58 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dives deeply for crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish in Arctic and subarctic seas. Freshwater invertebrates … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 2-11 | 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
Long-tailed Duck
Male sings a musical, yodeling ow-owlet-aaaalett sequence; female gives a low, grunting quack. The male's loud, harmonious yodeling is arguably the most musical call among all waterfowl species.
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
Long-tailed Duck
Circumpolar High Arctic breeder. Winters at sea on coasts of northwestern Europe, northeastern North America, and the Bering Sea region.
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
Long-tailed Duck
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Long-tailed Duck
Male in winter is mostly white with dark brown chest band, scapulars, and cheek patch; elongated central tail feathers extend well beyond body. Female is brownish with white face, dark …
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
Long-tailed Duck
A medium-sized Arctic sea duck (~780 g) in family Anatidae, males having elongated central tail feathers. Breeds across circumpolar tundra; winters in large flocks on coastal and open-ocean waters. Dives to impressive depths for crustaceans, fish, and mollusks. Vulnerable; steep population declines linked to bycatch in fishing nets and climate change.
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.