African Black Duck vs Surf Scoter
Anas sparsa compared with Melanitta perspicillata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Surf Scoter |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Melanitta perspicillata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 45.3 cm (17.8 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 1019.75 g (35.97 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and herring spawn in coastal waters. Uses its distinctive swollen bill … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 5-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
African Black Duck
Fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams, mountain gorges, and waterfalls from sea level to 4,000 m across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Requires clear turbulent water with boulders.
Song & Call Comparison
African Black Duck
Produces a harsh, resonant quacking call; alarm is a loud, emphatic quack repeated rapidly. Both sexes call with strong quacking; pairs duet with synchronized calls along African rivers.
Surf Scoter
Male produces a low, gurgling burble; female gives a crow-like, guttural cawing. The female's rasping, crow-like call is startling; males make soft, liquid gurgling notes during courtship.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Resident across South and Southeast Asia, from India to southern China and the Philippines. Non-migratory in most of its range.
Surf Scoter
Breeds in boreal forests and tundra of northern North America. Winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts south to Baja California and the Carolinas.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Surf Scoter
How to Tell Them Apart
African Black Duck
Dark blackish-brown plumage with bold white spots on back and scapulars. Iridescent blue-green speculum with white borders. Head dark with pale spots. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar. Fast-flowing …
Surf Scoter
Male is entirely glossy black except for white patches on forehead and nape; bill tricolored orange, red, and white with black spot. Female sooty-brown with two white facial patches.
About These Birds
African Black Duck
A medium-sized dark brown duck with white spots on the back, a dark bill, and orange legs. Found along fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams in Africa. Territorial and monogamous; pairs defend stretches of river. Related to Pacific Black Duck.
Surf Scoter
A medium-sized diving duck (~1 kg) of the family Anatidae, males all-black with a multicolored bill and white head patches. Breeds on boreal lakes and wetlands of North America; winters in coastal bays and surf zones. Dives for mussels, clams, and crustaceans. Least Concern; populations are considered stable overall.