Wandering Whistling-duck vs White-headed Steamerduck
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Tachyeres leucocephalus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | White-headed Steamerduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Tachyeres leucocephalus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 3250.0 g (114.64 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 3-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Wandering Whistling-duck only
White-headed Steamerduck 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.
White-headed Steamerduck
Rocky coastal shores, sea channels, and sheltered bays along the Patagonian coast of Chubut Province, Argentina. Flightless; strictly coastal. Nests on rocky headlands. Very limited geographic range.
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.
White-headed Steamerduck
A deep, rattling call from Patagonian coastal habitat. VU status; calls similar to Magellanic Steamerduck but possibly subtly distinct. Vocalizations in wild remain understudied.
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.
White-headed Steamerduck
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
White-headed Steamerduck
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.
White-headed Steamerduck
Flightless. Males have white head and neck contrasting with dark gray-brown body; orange bill. Females brown with white facial markings and less contrasting head. Restricted to Chubut, Argentina coast.
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.
White-headed Steamerduck
A large flightless steamerduck with grey body and an entirely white head in males, found only along the Patagonian coast of Chubut Province, Argentina. One of the rarest ducks in South America; range extends for only about 400 km of coastline.