Whooper Swan vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Cygnus cygnus compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Whooper Swan | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus cygnus | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 116.4 cm (45.8 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 10350.0 g (365.09 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbling duck feeding on seeds, aquatic insects, and plant material; forages in shallow wetlands; diet … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 2-12 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Whooper Swan only
Wandering Whistling-duck only
None
Whooper Swan
Breeds on boreal and subarctic lakes and boggy pools from Iceland and Scandinavia across northern Eurasia to Siberia. Winters on large lakes, estuaries, rivers, and agricultural fields in northwestern Europe and eastern Asia.
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
Whooper Swan
A loud, ringing 'wh-OOH-wh-OOH' bugle. Less high-pitched than Trumpeter; similar to Tundra Swan but deeper. Pairs call in musical antiphony. Carries very far over water.
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
Whooper Swan
Breeds in Arctic tundra from Siberia to western Canada; winters along the Pacific coast from British Columbia to 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
Whooper Swan
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Whooper Swan
All-white plumage. Long yellow bill with large wedge-shaped yellow patch extending past nostrils, contrasting with black tip. Long flat head profile. Holds neck erect and straight. Juveniles pale gray-brown.
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
Whooper Swan
A large all-white swan with a long neck and a distinctive yellow-and-black bill pattern—a large yellow wedge extending to the nostrils. The national bird of Finland. Calls with a bugling whooping resonance. Breeds in Eurasian subarctic; winters in northwest Europe and East Asia.
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.