Spotted Whistling-duck vs Salvadori's Teal
Dendrocygna guttata compared with Salvadorina waigiuensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Spotted Whistling-duck | Salvadori's Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna guttata | Salvadorina waigiuensis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.3 cm (16.3 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 677.5 g (23.90 oz) | 345.6666666666667 g (12.19 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … | Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates in shallow wetlands; diet broadly omnivorous; invertebrate intake peaks … |
| Clutch Size | 10-11 | 3-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Spotted Whistling-duck only
Salvadori's Teal 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.
Salvadori's Teal
Fast-flowing clear mountain streams and rivers at 1,000–3,900 m on New Guinea. Requires clean turbulent water with abundant aquatic invertebrates. Avoids lowland and polluted rivers.
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.
Salvadori's Teal
A soft, piping whistle from New Guinea mountain streams. Relatively poorly known; call is a gentle, reedy note. Behavior and vocalizations remain incompletely documented.
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.
Salvadori's Teal
Breeds across northern Eurasia; winters in tropical Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Broad Palearctic–Oriental migration.
Conservation Status
Spotted Whistling-duck
Salvadori's Teal
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.
Salvadori's Teal
Dark brown plumage with fine pale spotting and barring throughout. Head dark brown; underparts barred brown and buff. Yellow bill with dark tip. Legs and feet yellow. Unique highland New …
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.
Salvadori's Teal
A small brown torrent-adapted duck with a yellow bill, spotted body, and barred flanks. Endemic to New Guinea's mountain rivers. Often compared to New Zealand's Blue Duck in ecological niche. Inhabits fast-flowing alpine streams. Poorly studied; listed as Vulnerable.