Wandering Whistling-duck vs Falcated Duck
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Mareca falcata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Falcated Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Mareca falcata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 47.7 cm (18.8 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 620.5 g (21.89 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Eats seeds, plant material, and aquatic invertebrates; filter-feeds in shallow water; omnivorous diet varies with … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 6-10 |
| 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.
Falcated Duck
Breeds along rivers and lake shores in Siberian taiga and meadows. Winters on freshwater lakes and rivers in China, Japan, and South Korea. Sensitive to hunting pressure and wetland drainage.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Falcated Duck
Male gives a soft, whistled whi-ooo note; female produces a low, grunting quack. The male's haunting whistle is one of the more melodic sounds of East Asian wetlands in winter.
Geographic Range & Migration
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Falcated Duck
Nomadic across the interior wetlands of Australia; moves widely in response to flooding and drought conditions.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Falcated Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Falcated Duck
Males have iridescent green-and-chestnut head with bushy drooping crest. Pale gray body with black and white breast band. Long, sickle-shaped tertials overhang tail. Females mottled brown. Spectacular dimorphism.
About These Birds
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.
Falcated Duck
An elegant duck. Males have a large chestnut-and-green crested head, long drooping tertial feathers, and finely vermiculated grey body. One of Asia's most beautiful ducks; declining due to hunting. Breeds in Siberia and northeastern Asia; winters in East and Southeast Asia.