Mallard vs South African Shelduck
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Tadorna cana
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | South African Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Tadorna cana |
| 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) | 69.0 cm (27.2 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 1323.6666666666667 g (46.69 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet more invertebrate-heavy in breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 4-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
South African Shelduck
Inland freshwater and saline lakes, pans, dams, and rivers across southern Africa, primarily on the South African plateau, Lesotho, and Namibia. Nests in burrows dug by aardvark. Highly terrestrial for a shelduck.
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.
South African Shelduck
Male gives a whistled 'wheeu'; female gives a harsh, descending cackle. Calls from South African wetlands and vleis. Sexual dimorphism in call is strong.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
South African Shelduck
Breeds in subarctic Eurasia and winters in sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Mallard
South African Shelduck
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
South African Shelduck
Males have gray head and neck; rufous-brown body with white wing coverts and green speculum. Females similar but with white facial markings around bill and eye. Body rich rufous-chestnut. Endemic …
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.
South African Shelduck
A large shelduck with a grey head in males or white-and-grey head with white facial patches in females, orange-brown body, and white wing coverts. Endemic to southern Africa. Common on inland freshwater and saline lakes across South Africa's interior plateau.