Whooper Swan vs Mallard
Cygnus cygnus compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Whooper Swan | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus cygnus | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 116.4 cm (45.8 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 10350.0 g (365.09 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbling duck feeding on seeds, aquatic insects, and plant material; forages in shallow wetlands; diet … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 2-12 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
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.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
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.
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Whooper Swan
Breeds in Arctic tundra from Siberia to western Canada; winters along the Pacific coast from British Columbia to Mexico.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Whooper Swan
Mallard
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.
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
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.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.