White-faced Whistling-duck vs Black-headed Duck
Dendrocygna viduata compared with Heteronetta atricapilla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-faced Whistling-duck | Black-headed Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrocygna viduata | Heteronetta atricapilla |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 42.9 cm (16.9 in) | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) |
| Weight | 689.5 g (24.32 oz) | 528.5 g (18.64 oz) |
| Diet | Grazes subarctic tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal salt marshes eating saltmarsh grasses and … | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … |
| Clutch Size | 4-16 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
White-faced Whistling-duck
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rice paddies, flooded fields, and slow-moving rivers in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. Tolerates a wide range of modified wetlands. Nomadic, following water availability.
Song & Call Comparison
White-faced Whistling-duck
A clear, 3-syllable whistle 'wee-wee-WEE' — the origin of 'whistling-duck'. Given in noisy flocks during flight. Also gives a softer 'de-de-de' contact call on water.
Black-headed Duck
Male gives a soft, raspy peeping note; female produces a muted quack. An obligate brood parasite with reduced vocalizations; subdued calls suit its secretive lifestyle among Argentine reeds.
Geographic Range & Migration
White-faced Whistling-duck
Found in floodplains and wetlands of the Llanos in Venezuela and eastern Colombia. Sedentary and locally nomadic in wet savannas.
Black-headed Duck
Resident in southern South America from southern Brazil and Bolivia south to Argentina and Chile. Found on lakes and marshes in open lowlands.
Conservation Status
White-faced Whistling-duck
Black-headed Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
White-faced Whistling-duck
Distinctive white face and throat contrasting with black hindneck. Breast chestnut; sides and flanks barred black and white. Back brown. Long gray legs. Sexes identical; upright whistling-duck posture.
Black-headed Duck
Male has distinctive jet-black head and neck, warm chestnut-brown back, and pale buff underparts; blue-grey bill with red base. Female is streaked brown above with pale supercilium and whitish underparts.
About These Birds
White-faced Whistling-duck
A tall elegantly built whistling-duck with a conspicuous white face, chestnut body, barred flanks, and a distinctive three-note whistle. Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Forms large noisy flocks at freshwater sites. Highly gregarious; roosts and nests communally.
Black-headed Duck
A small diving duck (~530 g) of South America, family Anatidae, and the sole member of genus Heteronetta. Inhabits freshwater marshes and lakes in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Unique among waterfowl as an obligate brood parasite, laying eggs in nests of coots and other waterbirds. Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.