Wandering Whistling-duck vs Spectacled Duck
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Speculanas specularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Spectacled Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Speculanas specularis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 52.4 cm (20.6 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 1248.25 g (44.03 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Eats aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet varies widely between seasons … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 4-9 |
| 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.
Spectacled Duck
Clear fast-flowing rivers and streams in temperate forest from central Chile and adjacent Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego. Requires cold turbulent mountain rivers with riparian forest. Avoids slow or muddy water.
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.
Spectacled Duck
Emits deep, guttural quacking notes; alarm is a loud, repeated honking bark. Calls are resonant and powerful, carrying far along fast-flowing Patagonian rivers.
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.
Spectacled Duck
Breeds in wetlands from Iceland to Siberia; winters in temperate and subtropical Asia, Europe, and North Africa.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Spectacled 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.
Spectacled Duck
Dark brown body with fine pale speckling. Distinctive white 'spectacle' rings around eyes. Iridescent greenish-bronze speculum. Underparts pale buff-brown. Bill grayish; legs orange. Andean and Patagonian streams.
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.
Spectacled Duck
A large dark brown duck with distinctive white spectacle-like eye-rings, a pale buff face, and a prominent white speculum. Found in fast-flowing forest rivers of southern South America. Shy and elusive; inhabits clear rushing rivers through temperate forest. Also known as the Bronze-winged Duck.