Wandering Whistling-duck vs Gadwall
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Mareca strepera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Gadwall |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Mareca strepera |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 50.3 cm (19.8 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 857.5 g (30.25 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts toward invertebrates in spring; forages in shallow … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 5-15 |
| 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.
Gadwall
Freshwater lakes, reservoirs, marshes, and rivers with emergent vegetation across Eurasia and North America. Winters on large open wetlands and coastal estuaries. Range and population increasing in Europe.
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.
Gadwall
Male utters a soft, nasal nheck note; female produces a series of descending, quacking notes. Both sexes are relatively quiet; female's quacking is softer and less strident than a Mallard.
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.
Gadwall
Found year-round in Australia and New Zealand; nomadic in arid Australia, following temporary rainfall-fed wetlands.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Gadwall
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.
Gadwall
Males have finely vermiculated gray-brown plumage with black rump and undertail. White speculum patch diagnostic in flight. Females mottled brown like Mallard but smaller and with orange-sided bill. Subtle but …
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.
Gadwall
A medium-sized dabbling duck. Males appear grey-brown but are intricately patterned with fine grey vermiculations, black rump, and white speculum. Females resemble Mallard but with orange-sided bill. Widespread across Eurasia and North America. Feeds by dabbling and grazing.