Mallard vs Maccoa Duck
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Oxyura maccoa
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Maccoa Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Oxyura maccoa |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 31.3 cm (12.3 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 685.3333333333334 g (24.17 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Dives for aquatic invertebrates and plant seeds in African lakes and marshes. Uses lobed feet … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 4-12 |
| 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.
Maccoa Duck
Male emits a rapid, staccato drumming display; female gives a harsh, emphatic quack. The drumming call is powerful and diagnostic; this endangered southern African stiff-tail displays at dawn.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Maccoa Duck
Resident in eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Found on lakes and marshes with dense aquatic vegetation.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Maccoa Duck
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
Maccoa Duck
Male has glossy black head, deep chestnut-red body, and vivid sky-blue bill; stiff tail often cocked. Female is dark brown above with streaked buff below and two pale facial stripes …
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.
Maccoa Duck
A stiff-tailed diving duck (~685 g) of sub-Saharan Africa, family Anatidae, males chestnut-bodied with a blue bill. Inhabits large, deep freshwater lakes and dams in eastern and southern Africa. Dives for aquatic invertebrates and vegetation. Endangered due to small, fragmented populations, habitat loss from wetland drainage, and competition with introduced species.