Mallard vs Hartlaub's Duck
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Pteronetta hartlaubii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Hartlaub's Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Pteronetta hartlaubii |
| 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) | 910.0 g (32.10 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Eats seeds, aquatic invertebrates, and plant matter; dabbles in ponds and marshes; diet more invertebrate-heavy … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 7-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Hartlaub's Duck
Tropical rainforest streams, forest pools, and shaded swamps from Guinea and Sierra Leone east through the Congo Basin to Uganda and western Kenya. Requires undisturbed riverine forest with shaded water.
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.
Hartlaub's Duck
A low, nasal 'quack' and soft 'kek-kek'. Generally quieter than other perching ducks. Calls from dense Central and West African rainforest where it is rarely observed.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Hartlaub's Duck
Breeds in wetlands across Eurasia; winters from Africa and the Middle East to South and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Hartlaub's 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
Hartlaub's Duck
Dark chocolate-brown body; white patches at side of head distinctive. Males have dark blue frontal shield extending from bill. Wings show pale blue-gray inner forewing. Legs gray. West African forest …
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.
Hartlaub's Duck
A large dark duck with a chestnut-brown body, dark head and neck, pale blue speculum, and bright red base to the bill in males. Found in tropical African rainforest streams and forest swamps. One of Africa's least-studied ducks. Lives singly or in pairs in shaded forest waterways.