Wandering Whistling-duck vs Steller's Eider
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Polysticta stelleri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Steller's Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Polysticta stelleri |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 40.7 cm (16.0 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 815.75 g (28.77 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal and estuarine habitats; diet invertebrate-dominated. |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 3-10 |
| 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.
Steller's Eider
Breeds on low-lying coastal tundra in Arctic Russia and occasionally Alaska. Winters on shallow rocky sea coasts, kelp beds, and sheltered bays in the Baltic Sea and Pacific coast of Alaska. Listed as Vulnerable.
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.
Steller's Eider
Male produces a low, soft cooing note; female gives a guttural, grunting purr. Quieter than other eiders; the male's gentle cooing is unlike the louder calls of the Common Eider.
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.
Steller's Eider
Breeds in boreal Canada and Alaska; winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts and on large interior lakes of the US.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Steller's Eider
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.
Steller's Eider
Males have white head with green nape spot, black eye patch and chin; orange-buff underparts; black back with white wing patches. Females mottled dark brown with blue speculum bordered 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.
Steller's Eider
A small sea duck. Males have a white head with green facial markings, black throat patch, chestnut underparts, and white back; females are dark brown. The smallest eider. Breeds in Arctic tundra; winters in Baltic Sea and Alaskan coastal waters. Vulnerable to contaminants and oil spills.