Wandering Whistling-duck vs Blue-billed Duck
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Oxyura australis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Blue-billed Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Oxyura australis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 30.8 cm (12.1 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 837.75 g (29.55 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Dives for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material in Australian freshwater lakes and swamps. Highly … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 5-6 |
| 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.
Blue-billed Duck
Male produces a mechanical, splashing display call with loud bill-drumming; female gives a harsh quack. The male's bizarre bubbling-cum-drumming display is spectacular on Australian 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.
Blue-billed Duck
Resident in southwestern and southeastern Australia. Found on freshwater swamps and lakes, avoiding arid and tropical regions.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Blue-billed 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.
Blue-billed Duck
Breeding male is deep rich chestnut with black head and broad bright blue bill; tail often held erect. Female is dark brown with finely barred buff pattern on body and …
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.
Blue-billed Duck
Australia's only endemic stiff-tailed duck (~840 g), family Anatidae, males recognized by deep chestnut plumage and a vibrant blue bill in breeding season. Inhabits deep freshwater lakes and swamps in southeastern and southwestern Australia. Dives for aquatic invertebrates and plant matter. Least Concern; dependent on permanent water bodies, vulnerable to drought cycles.