Wandering Whistling-duck vs Paradise Shelduck
Dendrocygna arcuata compared with Tadorna variegata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wandering Whistling-duck | Paradise Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna arcuata | Tadorna variegata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 70.2 cm (27.6 in) |
| Weight | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) | 1569.5 g (55.36 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Eats seeds, grasses, and aquatic invertebrates; grazes near water; dabbles in shallows; diet varies with … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 5-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Wandering Whistling-duck only
None
Paradise Shelduck 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.
Paradise Shelduck
Open farmland, grassland, lake shores, riverbeds, and wetlands throughout both main islands of New Zealand. Nests in caves, burrows, hollow trees, and dense vegetation. Highly territorial in the breeding season.
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.
Paradise Shelduck
Male gives a high-pitched whistle; female gives a loud, harsh cackling call 'rak-rak-rak'. New Zealand's only endemic shelduck; calls echoing in open farmland are distinctive.
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.
Paradise Shelduck
Breeds in Eurasia from the UK to Siberia; winters across sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
Conservation Status
Wandering Whistling-duck
Paradise 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.
Paradise Shelduck
Extreme dimorphism. Males have black head with green gloss and black-and-chestnut body. Females have pure white head and neck contrasting with rich chestnut-rufous body. Both show white wing patches. New …
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.
Paradise Shelduck
New Zealand's most colorful duck with strong sexual dimorphism: males have dark greenish-black body; females are strikingly white-headed with chestnut body. Endemic and common. Found across New Zealand's grasslands, farmland, and wetlands. A significant game species traditionally harvested by Māori.