Wandering Whistling-duck vs Red-crested Pochard
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Netta rufina
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Red-crested Pochard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Netta rufina |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 51.7 cm (20.4 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 1087.5 g (38.36 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Dives for molluscs and aquatic invertebrates in coastal habitats; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic invertebrates. |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 6-14 |
| 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.
Red-crested Pochard
Large freshwater and brackish lakes, reservoirs, river deltas, and coastal lagoons across southern Europe and Central Asia. Winters on large open water bodies in southern Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
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-crested Pochard
Male emits a harsh, rasping errr note; female gives a loud, quacking series. The raspy male call is distinctive among pochards; alarm is an emphatic, repeated series on Eurasian lakes.
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-crested Pochard
Breeds across Arctic and subarctic North America; winters broadly across the interior and coastal United States.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Red-crested Pochard
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-crested Pochard
Males have rounded orange-rufous head with bright red bill; black breast, neck and undertail; white flanks; brown back. Females dark brown with pale cheeks. Bold white wing stripe in flight. …
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-crested Pochard
A large handsome diving duck. Males have a magnificent orange-red rounded head, scarlet bill, black breast and rear, and white flanks; females are brown with contrasting pale cheek. Dives and dabbles for aquatic vegetation. Found across southern Eurasia.