Spotted Whistling-duck vs American Wigeon
Dendrocygna guttata compared with Mareca americana
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Spotted Whistling-duck | American Wigeon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna guttata | Mareca americana |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.3 cm (16.3 in) | 50.6 cm (19.9 in) |
| Weight | 677.5 g (23.90 oz) | 938.125 g (33.09 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet more invertebrate-heavy in breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 10-11 | 3-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Spotted Whistling-duck only
None
American Wigeon only
None
Spotted Whistling-duck
Freshwater wetlands, rice fields, streams, and forest pools in New Guinea, Sulawesi, the Philippines, and Moluccas. Often found near forested rivers and seasonal swamps at low elevations.
American Wigeon
Breeds on freshwater lakes and marshes in boreal and northern forest of North America. Winters on coastal bays, estuaries, freshwater wetlands, and agricultural fields from the southern United States to Central America.
Song & Call Comparison
Spotted Whistling-duck
A musical, high whistle similar to other whistling-ducks. Call is softer and less far-carrying than White-faced or Black-bellied species. Given in flight and on water.
American Wigeon
Male produces a three-note whew-whew-wheoo whistle; female gives a low grunting purr. The male's clear, looping whistle is distinctive on North American ponds and marshes.
Geographic Range & Migration
Spotted Whistling-duck
Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.
American Wigeon
Resident across Australia and parts of New Guinea. Sedentary in wetlands; locally nomadic in arid interior zones.
Conservation Status
Spotted Whistling-duck
American Wigeon
How to Tell Them Apart
Spotted Whistling-duck
Dark brown above; head and neck dark brown. Underparts heavily spotted white on dark brown ground, giving spotted appearance. Flanks with bold white spots. Pink-red bill and legs. Sexes similar.
American Wigeon
Males have white forehead and crown; iridescent green eye patch; pinkish-buff breast; gray flanks; white belly. White forewing patch in flight. Females mottled brown-gray with gray head. Dimorphic.
About These Birds
Spotted Whistling-duck
A small dark brown whistling-duck with bold white spots on its flanks, orange-red bill and legs, and a pale face. Found in tropical wetlands of New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Often found near freshwater streams and flooded grassland. Less gregarious than other whistling-ducks.
American Wigeon
A medium-sized duck. Males have a creamy-white forehead blaze, broad green eye-stripe, pink-brown body, and white shoulder patch; females are warm brown. Common in North America; winters in coastal wetlands and agricultural land. Grazes on grass and aquatic plants.