Mallard vs Spectacled Duck
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Speculanas specularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Spectacled Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Speculanas specularis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 52.4 cm (20.6 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 1248.25 g (44.03 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Eats aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet varies widely between seasons … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 4-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Spectacled Duck
Clear fast-flowing rivers and streams in temperate forest from central Chile and adjacent Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego. Requires cold turbulent mountain rivers with riparian forest. Avoids slow or muddy 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.
Spectacled Duck
Emits deep, guttural quacking notes; alarm is a loud, repeated honking bark. Calls are resonant and powerful, carrying far along fast-flowing Patagonian rivers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Spectacled Duck
Breeds in wetlands from Iceland to Siberia; winters in temperate and subtropical Asia, Europe, and North Africa.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Spectacled 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
Spectacled Duck
Dark brown body with fine pale speckling. Distinctive white 'spectacle' rings around eyes. Iridescent greenish-bronze speculum. Underparts pale buff-brown. Bill grayish; legs orange. Andean and Patagonian streams.
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.
Spectacled Duck
A large dark brown duck with distinctive white spectacle-like eye-rings, a pale buff face, and a prominent white speculum. Found in fast-flowing forest rivers of southern South America. Shy and elusive; inhabits clear rushing rivers through temperate forest. Also known as the Bronze-winged Duck.