Coscoroba Swan vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Coscoroba coscoroba compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Coscoroba Swan | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coscoroba coscoroba | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 84.2 cm (33.1 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 4200.0 g (148.15 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles and upends in shallow water; diet more invertebrate-heavy … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Coscoroba Swan
Freshwater lakes, marshes, lagoons, and flooded grasslands from southern Brazil through Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego. Partially migratory; moves northward in winter. Nests in reedy margins.
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
Coscoroba Swan
A bugling, honking 'coscoroba' call — giving the species its onomatopoeic name. Loud and far-carrying. Less commonly heard than northern hemisphere swans.
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
Coscoroba Swan
Breeds in western North American prairies and parklands; winters in California, the Southwest, and northern Mexico.
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
Coscoroba Swan
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Coscoroba Swan
Entirely white plumage except black wingtips visible in flight. Bright red bill and red legs and feet. Red eye-ring. More goose-like than true swans. Juvenile has brownish wash. Sexes similar.
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
Coscoroba Swan
The smallest swan and the only member of its genus, differing from true swans with a more goose-like head, red-pink bill and legs, and all-white plumage with black wingtips. Found in southern South America. Swims gracefully and grazes shoreline vegetation. Loud coscoroba call is distinctive.
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.