Japanese White-eye vs Mallard
Zosterops japonicus compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Japanese White-eye | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Zosterops japonicus | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Passeriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Zosteropidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 11.5 cm (4.5 in) | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 17.0 cm (6.7 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 11.0 g (0.39 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Insects, nectar, and fruit. Active gleaner that flits through foliage and visits flowers. Important pollinator … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 2-6 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Japanese White-eye
Broadleaf evergreen forests, gardens, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable and common in East Asian gardens.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Japanese White-eye
Sweet, high-pitched 'tsee-tsee-tsee' whistle and soft melodic warbling. Flocks produce a continuous tinkling chorus. Alarm is a sharper 'tset'. Song is gentle and rhythmic.
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Japanese White-eye
East Asia including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Japanese White-eye
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Japanese White-eye
Olive-green upperparts with a bright white eye-ring. Yellow throat and undertail coverts. Greyish-white belly.
Thin, pointed, slightly decurved dark bill
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
About These Birds
Japanese White-eye
The Japanese white-eye is a familiar garden bird across East Asia, beloved in Japan where it is called mejiro. These sociable birds form flocks outside the breeding season and are important pollinators of plum and cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, introduced populations in Hawaii have become invasive, competing with native honeycreepers.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.