Mallard vs Blue-billed Teal
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Spatula hottentota
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Blue-billed Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Spatula hottentota |
| 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) | 29.4 cm (11.6 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 269.2 g (9.50 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Feeds on seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; filter-feeds in shallow water; broadly omnivorous and seasonally … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 5-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Blue-billed Teal
Freshwater lakes, marshes, pans, and flooded grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and Sudan south to the Cape. Nomadic; follows seasonal rains. Common but easily overlooked among reed beds.
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.
Blue-billed Teal
Male utters a soft, teal-like peep; female gives a muted quack. Pairs call quietly in dense papyrus; soft contact calls help birds maintain proximity in thick African marsh vegetation.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Blue-billed Teal
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic Eurasia; winters at sea in the North Atlantic and from western Europe to eastern Africa.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Blue-billed Teal
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
Blue-billed Teal
Small; males have pale blue-gray bill contrasting with brown-gray body. Head finely spotted; underparts barred brown and white. Males show powder-blue forewing in flight. Females browner. African marsh species.
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.
Blue-billed Teal
A small dark teal with blue-grey bill and legs, brown-streaked plumage, and fine pale spotting on the flanks. The most widespread teal in sub-Saharan Africa. Found on freshwater lakes and marshes. Highly nomadic; follows seasonal rainfall. Swims low in the water like a pochard.