Mallard vs Rosy-billed Pochard
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Netta peposaca
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Rosy-billed Pochard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Netta peposaca |
| 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) | 46.1 cm (18.1 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 1103.4 g (38.92 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal water; diet dominated by invertebrates. |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Rosy-billed Pochard
Freshwater lakes, marshes, and lagoons in southern South America from central Brazil through Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina to Patagonia. Often on large open lakes. Partially migratory; moves northward in winter.
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.
Rosy-billed Pochard
Male gives a deep, burping boom; female produces a loud, grunting quack. The male's resonant booming call during display is among the most powerful calls of South American wildfowl.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Rosy-billed Pochard
Breeds in northern prairies; winters on interior wetlands and coasts from the southern US to Central America.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Rosy-billed Pochard
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
Rosy-billed Pochard
Males dark sooty-black with iridescent purple gloss on head; bright rosy-red bill with pink knob. White flanks visible when at rest. Females brown with pale face and gray bill. Bold …
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.
Rosy-billed Pochard
A large striking pochard. Males are black-and-grey with an unmistakable bulging bright red bill knob; females are brown. Found in freshwater lakes of southern South America. Common in the Pampas and Patagonia. Often dives to the lake bottom for aquatic plants.