Black-headed Duck vs Silver Teal
Heteronetta atricapilla compared with Spatula versicolor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-headed Duck | Silver Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heteronetta atricapilla | Spatula versicolor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) | 37.0 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 528.5 g (18.64 oz) | 409.75 g (14.45 oz) |
| Diet | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Dabbles for seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; diet varies with season; forages in shallow ponds … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 6-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Silver Teal
Freshwater wetlands, marshes, lakes, and flooded fields from sea level to 3,500 m in southern South America from Peru and Bolivia through Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Silver Teal
Male produces a soft, nasal prrp note; female gives a subdued quack. Quiet vocalizations suit the species' secretive nature in South American reedy marshes.
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Silver Teal
Breeds in sub-Arctic Europe and western Russia; winters on coasts of Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Caspian Sea.
Conservation Status
Black-headed Duck
Silver Teal
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Silver Teal
Black crown contrasting with white face and sides. Body pale silvery-gray with fine dark vermiculations. Bold yellow-and-black bill. Blue-gray forewing and iridescent green speculum in flight. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
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.
Silver Teal
A medium-sized teal with a striking black cap, white face, blue bill with yellow sides, and boldly spotted scaly-looking flanks. Widespread in lowland and mid-altitude South America. Often found in pairs or small groups. Feeds by dabbling in shallow water.