Wandering Whistling-duck vs South African Shelduck
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Tadorna cana
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | South African Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Tadorna cana |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 69.0 cm (27.2 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 1323.6666666666667 g (46.69 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet more invertebrate-heavy in breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 4-11 |
| 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.
South African Shelduck
Inland freshwater and saline lakes, pans, dams, and rivers across southern Africa, primarily on the South African plateau, Lesotho, and Namibia. Nests in burrows dug by aardvark. Highly terrestrial for a shelduck.
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.
South African Shelduck
Male gives a whistled 'wheeu'; female gives a harsh, descending cackle. Calls from South African wetlands and vleis. Sexual dimorphism in call is strong.
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.
South African Shelduck
Breeds in subarctic Eurasia and winters in sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
South African Shelduck
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.
South African Shelduck
Males have gray head and neck; rufous-brown body with white wing coverts and green speculum. Females similar but with white facial markings around bill and eye. Body rich rufous-chestnut. Endemic …
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.
South African Shelduck
A large shelduck with a grey head in males or white-and-grey head with white facial patches in females, orange-brown body, and white wing coverts. Endemic to southern Africa. Common on inland freshwater and saline lakes across South Africa's interior plateau.