Wandering Whistling-duck vs Red-breasted Merganser
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Mergus serrator
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Red-breasted Merganser |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Mergus serrator |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 46.7 cm (18.4 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 1058.3333333333333 g (37.33 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Dives for small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats. Pursues fish … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 6-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Wandering Whistling-duck only
None
Red-breasted Merganser only
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.
Red-breasted Merganser
Male produces a harsh, rasping series of notes; female gives a rough, guttural grunting. The harsh, rattling call is louder than Goosander; pairs and flocks create a rasping coastal cacophony.
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.
Red-breasted Merganser
Circumpolar breeder in boreal and Arctic zones. Winters on coasts and large water bodies south to the Mediterranean and southern Asia.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Red-breasted Merganser
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.
Red-breasted Merganser
Male has dark green shaggy double crest, speckled chestnut breast band, white collar, and grey flanks; red bill. Female has rufous-brown head with ragged crest blending gradually into grey neck …
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.
Red-breasted Merganser
A medium-sized fish-eating duck (~1.1 kg) in family Anatidae, males with a ragged double crest, green head, and rufous breast band. Breeds near freshwater and coastal habitats across the Northern Hemisphere; winters in estuaries and coastal seas. Dives in pursuit of fish and invertebrates. Least Concern; one of the fastest flying ducks, reaching 100 km/h.