Mallard vs Siberian Scoter
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Melanitta stejnegeri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Siberian Scoter |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Melanitta stejnegeri |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 1267.5 g (44.71 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Dives for bivalves, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal East Asian waters. Diet similar to … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 6-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Siberian Scoter
Male emits a soft, piping whistle; female produces a guttural, grating call. Voice resembles White-winged Scoter; heard during winter on East Asian coasts and large inland seas.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Siberian Scoter
Breeds in boreal forests and tundra of central and eastern Siberia. Winters along the coasts of Japan, Korea, and northeastern China.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Siberian Scoter
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Siberian Scoter
Male is uniformly black with white secondaries forming wing patch; orange-yellow bill has large black knob at base and pale yellow tip. Female dark brown with paler facial patches and …
About These Birds
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.
Siberian Scoter
A medium-large sea duck (~1.3 kg) of family Anatidae, closely related to White-winged Scoter and endemic to eastern Siberia and northeastern Asia. Breeds near boreal lakes and winters in coastal seas of East Asia. Feeds by diving for benthic mollusks and crustaceans. Least Concern; recently split from White-winged Scoter as a distinct species.