Wandering Whistling-duck vs Silver Teal
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Spatula versicolor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Silver Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Spatula versicolor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 37.0 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 409.75 g (14.45 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Dabbles for seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; diet varies with season; forages in shallow ponds … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 6-10 |
| 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.
Silver Teal
Freshwater wetlands, marshes, lakes, and flooded fields from sea level to 3,500 m in southern South America from Peru and Bolivia through Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.
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.
Silver Teal
Male produces a soft, nasal prrp note; female gives a subdued quack. Quiet vocalizations suit the species' secretive nature in South American reedy 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.
Silver Teal
Breeds in sub-Arctic Europe and western Russia; winters on coasts of Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Caspian Sea.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Silver 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.
Silver Teal
Black crown contrasting with white face and sides. Body pale silvery-gray with fine dark vermiculations. Bold yellow-and-black bill. Blue-gray forewing and iridescent green speculum in flight. Sexes similar.
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.
Silver Teal
A medium-sized teal with a striking black cap, white face, blue bill with yellow sides, and boldly spotted scaly-looking flanks. Widespread in lowland and mid-altitude South America. Often found in pairs or small groups. Feeds by dabbling in shallow water.