American Wigeon vs Mute Swan
Mareca americana compared with Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Wigeon | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Mareca americana | Cygnus olor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 50.6 cm (19.9 in) | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Weight | 938.125 g (33.09 oz) | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet more invertebrate-heavy in breeding … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Clutch Size | 3-12 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
American Wigeon
Breeds on freshwater lakes and marshes in boreal and northern forest of North America. Winters on coastal bays, estuaries, freshwater wetlands, and agricultural fields from the southern United States to Central America.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
American Wigeon
Male produces a three-note whew-whew-wheoo whistle; female gives a low grunting purr. The male's clear, looping whistle is distinctive on North American ponds and marshes.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Wigeon
Resident across Australia and parts of New Guinea. Sedentary in wetlands; locally nomadic in arid interior zones.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
American Wigeon
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
American Wigeon
Males have white forehead and crown; iridescent green eye patch; pinkish-buff breast; gray flanks; white belly. White forewing patch in flight. Females mottled brown-gray with gray head. Dimorphic.
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
About These Birds
American Wigeon
A medium-sized duck. Males have a creamy-white forehead blaze, broad green eye-stripe, pink-brown body, and white shoulder patch; females are warm brown. Common in North America; winters in coastal wetlands and agricultural land. Grazes on grass and aquatic plants.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.