American Black Duck vs Black-bellied Whistling-duck
Anas rubripes compared with Dendrocygna autumnalis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Black Duck | Black-bellied Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas rubripes | Dendrocygna autumnalis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) | 48.2 cm (19.0 in) |
| Weight | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) | 757.9 g (26.73 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fish and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts toward molluscs … | Grazes subarctic tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal salt marshes and agricultural fields eating … |
| Clutch Size | 1-17 | 9-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
American Black Duck only
Black-bellied Whistling-duck only
None
American Black Duck
Freshwater and brackish wetlands in eastern North America from Atlantic Canada south along the coast to Georgia. Breeds in northern bogs and wetlands. Winters on coastal marshes, estuaries, and freshwater lakes.
Black-bellied Whistling-duck
Freshwater wetlands, ponds, lake margins, flooded fields, and wooded swamps from the southern United States and Mexico through Central America to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. Uses nest boxes readily.
Song & Call Comparison
American Black Duck
Female produces a loud, deep quacking series; male gives a low, raspy grunt. Voice is deeper and huskier than a Mallard; pairs call powerfully across northeastern North American wetlands.
Black-bellied Whistling-duck
A high, reedy whistle 'pe-che-che-ne' given in flight. Flocks produce a continuous whistling chorus. Also gives a squeaky 'whe-eee' contact call while swimming.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Black Duck
Breeds in the steppe zone of Central Asia; winters in South Asia, East Africa, and coastal Southeast Asia.
Black-bellied Whistling-duck
Inhabits freshwater marshes and riverbanks from southeastern Brazil to northern Argentina and Bolivia. Sedentary; locally common.
Conservation Status
American Black Duck
Black-bellied Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
American Black Duck
Sooty dark brown body; head and neck paler buff with dark streaking. Iridescent purple speculum without white border. Males have yellow-green bill; females olive with orange blotches. Silvery underwings in …
Black-bellied Whistling-duck
Gray head with brown cap and chestnut breast; black belly is distinctive. Wings show broad white patch in flight. Coral-pink bill and long pink legs. Upright posture. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
American Black Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck closely resembling a very dark female Mallard, with purple speculum, yellowish-olive bill in males, and orange legs. Common in eastern North America. Hybridizes freely with Mallard; pure populations declining in the interior.
Black-bellied Whistling-duck
A boldly patterned whistling-duck with a bright red bill, chestnut-and-black body, broad white wing stripe, and a distinctive whistling call. Common in freshwater wetlands from the southern United States to central South America. Nests in tree cavities. Often perches in trees—unusual for waterfowl.