American Black Duck vs Red-breasted Merganser
Anas rubripes compared with Mergus serrator
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Black Duck | Red-breasted Merganser |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas rubripes | Mergus serrator |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) | 46.7 cm (18.4 in) |
| Weight | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) | 1058.3333333333333 g (37.33 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Dives for small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats. Pursues fish … |
| Clutch Size | 1-17 | 6-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
American Black Duck only
Red-breasted Merganser only
American Black Duck
Freshwater and brackish wetlands in eastern North America from Atlantic Canada south along the coast to Georgia. Breeds in northern bogs and wetlands. Winters on coastal marshes, estuaries, and freshwater lakes.
Song & Call Comparison
American Black Duck
Female produces a loud, deep quacking series; male gives a low, raspy grunt. Voice is deeper and huskier than a Mallard; pairs call powerfully across northeastern North American wetlands.
Red-breasted Merganser
Male produces a harsh, rasping series of notes; female gives a rough, guttural grunting. The harsh, rattling call is louder than Goosander; pairs and flocks create a rasping coastal cacophony.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Black Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Circumpolar breeder in boreal and Arctic zones. Winters on coasts and large water bodies south to the Mediterranean and southern Asia.
Conservation Status
American Black Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
How to Tell Them Apart
American Black Duck
Sooty dark brown body; head and neck paler buff with dark streaking. Iridescent purple speculum without white border. Males have yellow-green bill; females olive with orange blotches. Silvery underwings in …
Red-breasted Merganser
Male has dark green shaggy double crest, speckled chestnut breast band, white collar, and grey flanks; red bill. Female has rufous-brown head with ragged crest blending gradually into grey neck …
About These Birds
American Black Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck closely resembling a very dark female Mallard, with purple speculum, yellowish-olive bill in males, and orange legs. Common in eastern North America. Hybridizes freely with Mallard; pure populations declining in the interior.
Red-breasted Merganser
A medium-sized fish-eating duck (~1.1 kg) in family Anatidae, males with a ragged double crest, green head, and rufous breast band. Breeds near freshwater and coastal habitats across the Northern Hemisphere; winters in estuaries and coastal seas. Dives in pursuit of fish and invertebrates. Least Concern; one of the fastest flying ducks, reaching 100 km/h.