Wandering Whistling-duck vs White-winged Scoter
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Melanitta deglandi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | White-winged Scoter |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Melanitta deglandi |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 54.0 cm (21.3 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 1647.1666666666667 g (58.10 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and small fish in coastal and inland waters. Favours mussels and … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 6-16 |
| 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.
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.
White-winged Scoter
Male produces a soft, whistled note; female gives a harsh, grating call. Similar to Velvet Scoter; the female's rasping call carries across North Pacific bays and coastal inlets.
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.
White-winged Scoter
Breeds in boreal forest and tundra of interior North America. Winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts south to California and the Gulf states.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
White-winged Scoter
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.
White-winged Scoter
Male is black with conspicuous white secondaries and a white comma-shaped mark below eye; orange-yellow bill with black basal knob. Female dark brownish-black with two pale facial patches and white …
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.
White-winged Scoter
A large diving duck (~1.6 kg) in family Anatidae, distinguished by white secondaries visible in flight. Breeds on freshwater lakes in boreal North America; winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Dives for mussels, clams, and aquatic insects. Least Concern; North American populations remain broadly stable despite some local declines.