African Black Duck vs Smew
Anas sparsa compared with Mergellus albellus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Smew |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Mergellus albellus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 37.5 cm (14.8 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 658.75 g (23.24 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Dives for small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans in freshwater and coastal habitats. Uses serrated … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 5-11 |
| 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.
Smew
Male gives a soft, crow-like krr note; female produces a grating, rasping call. Both sexes are relatively quiet; the male's harsh, crow-like call is surprisingly low for such a small …
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.
Smew
Breeds in boreal forests of northern Europe and Siberia. Winters on large lakes and coasts from western Europe east to Japan and China.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Smew
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 …
Smew
Male is largely white with black eye patch, black lines on back, and fine black lines on flanks creating a cracked-ice pattern. Female has chestnut-red head, white cheeks, and grey …
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.
Smew
A small merganser (~660 g) in family Anatidae, males predominantly white with fine black markings and a small crest. Breeds in boreal forests of northern Eurasia near rivers and lakes, nesting in tree holes; winters on freshwater and coastal waters in central and western Europe. Feeds on small fish and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.