African Black Duck vs Fulvous Whistling-duck
Anas sparsa compared with Dendrocygna bicolor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Fulvous Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Dendrocygna bicolor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 44.6 cm (17.6 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 733.4 g (25.87 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Grazes grasses and sedges in Arctic tundra; large migratory goose; winter diet dominated by agricultural … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 6-16 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
African Black Duck
Fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams, mountain gorges, and waterfalls from sea level to 4,000 m across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Requires clear turbulent water with boulders.
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Freshwater marshes, rice paddies, flooded fields, shallow lakes, and river margins across warm tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Africa, and South Asia. Highly nomadic, following rains.
Song & Call Comparison
African Black Duck
Produces a harsh, resonant quacking call; alarm is a loud, emphatic quack repeated rapidly. Both sexes call with strong quacking; pairs duet with synchronized calls along African rivers.
Fulvous Whistling-duck
A soft, rhythmic 'ka-WHEE-00' whistle. Flocks give continuous soft whistling sounds during flight over tropical wetlands. Also gives shorter 'kee' contact notes.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Resident across South and Southeast Asia, from India to southern China and the Philippines. Non-migratory in most of its range.
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Breeds across Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe to eastern Siberia; winters from Britain to the Mediterranean and South Asia.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Fulvous Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
African Black Duck
Dark blackish-brown plumage with bold white spots on back and scapulars. Iridescent blue-green speculum with white borders. Head dark with pale spots. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar. Fast-flowing …
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Warm fulvous-buff underparts with creamy white flank stripes. Upperparts dark brown with pale buff feather edges. Dark brown stripe down back of neck. Long bluish-gray legs. Sexes identical.
About These Birds
African Black Duck
A medium-sized dark brown duck with white spots on the back, a dark bill, and orange legs. Found along fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams in Africa. Territorial and monogamous; pairs defend stretches of river. Related to Pacific Black Duck.
Fulvous Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with warm tawny-brown body, dark brown back, creamy-white flank stripes, and a blue-grey bill. Among the most cosmopolitan of all waterfowl, occurring in North and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Highly nomadic, following seasonal rainfall.