Black-headed Duck vs Falkland Steamerduck
Heteronetta atricapilla compared with Tachyeres brachypterus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-headed Duck | Falkland Steamerduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heteronetta atricapilla | Tachyeres brachypterus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) | 49.0 cm (19.3 in) |
| Weight | 528.5 g (18.64 oz) | 3799.0 g (134.01 oz) |
| Diet | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Eats seeds, sedge shoots, and aquatic invertebrates; dabbles in ponds and marshes; diet varies with … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 4-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Falkland Steamerduck
Exclusive to rocky coasts, sheltered coves, kelp beds, and sea inlets of the Falkland Islands. Flightless; strictly coastal. One of the few bird species entirely endemic to the Falkland Islands.
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.
Falkland Steamerduck
Similar to Magellanic Steamerduck in call quality — harsh, rattling, mechanical. Falkland Island birds' vocalizations adapted for stormy, windswept coastal habitat.
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.
Falkland Steamerduck
Breeds in subarctic boreal ponds of Alaska and Canada; winters coastally from Alaska to California and on the Gulf Coast.
Conservation Status
Black-headed Duck
Falkland Steamerduck
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.
Falkland Steamerduck
Flightless; males gray with white supercilium and orange bill. Breast grayish-brown; flanks with brown mottling. Females brown with white eye-ring. Yellow-olive bill. Endemic to Falkland Islands.
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.
Falkland Steamerduck
A large flightless steamerduck endemic to the Falkland Islands, with grey body plumage, white belly, and orange-yellow bill. Males have a rust-orange head. Highly territorial and aggressive; pairs vigorously defend coastal territories. Feeds by diving in kelp beds and rocky coastal shallows.