Wandering Whistling-duck vs Blue-winged Teal
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Spatula discors
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Blue-winged Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Spatula discors |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 35.7 cm (14.1 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 400.5 g (14.13 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates and seeds; diet shifts between plant-heavy and invertebrate-heavy phases seasonally. |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Wandering Whistling-duck only
None
Blue-winged Teal 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.
Blue-winged Teal
Breeds on prairie wetlands, lakes, and marshes across North America. Winters on freshwater and coastal wetlands from the southern United States through Central America to South America.
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-winged Teal
Male gives a high, thin whistle; female produces a rapid, descending quacking laugh. The nasal, laughing female call is immediately recognizable in North American freshwater marshes.
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-winged Teal
Breeds in tundra of northern Russia and Alaska; winters on the open North Pacific from Alaska to Japan and California.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Blue-winged Teal
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-winged Teal
Males have slate-blue head with bold white crescent before eye. Body brown with dark spots. Pale blue forewing patch and green speculum conspicuous. Females mottled brown with pale loral spot. …
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-winged Teal
A small brown teal. Males have a slate-grey head with a large white crescent before the eye and a striking pale blue-grey wing patch visible in flight. One of North America's most abundant ducks. Long-distance migrant; winters from the southern United States to South America.