Mallard vs New Zealand Merganser
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Mergus australis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | New Zealand Merganser |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Mergus australis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Extinct |
| Length | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | — |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 898.0 g (31.68 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Extinct; historically dived for fish and aquatic invertebrates in New Zealand freshwater streams. Diet inferred … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | -- |
| 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.
New Zealand Merganser
Extinct (EX). No recordings exist. This flightless New Zealand merganser likely gave grunting, nasal calls similar to the Red-breasted Merganser based on skull morphology and taxonomy.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand Merganser
Formerly endemic to South Island and Stewart Island, New Zealand. Extinct since the 1900s.
Conservation Status
Mallard
New Zealand Merganser
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
New Zealand Merganser
Both sexes were dark brown overall; male had greenish-black gloss on head with slight crest, whitish barring on wings; female paler brown with rufous-tinged head and whitish throat.
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.
New Zealand Merganser
An extinct flightless or near-flightless merganser (~900 g) of family Anatidae, endemic to the subantarctic Auckland Islands of New Zealand. Inhabited forested riverine habitats and fed on freshwater fish and invertebrates. Exterminated by hunting and predation from introduced mammals; last reliably recorded in 1902 and declared Extinct.