Mute Swan vs Lake Duck
Cygnus olor compared with Oxyura vittata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mute Swan | Lake Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus olor | Oxyura vittata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) | 27.6 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) | 665.0 g (23.46 oz) |
| Diet | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … | Dives for aquatic invertebrates and plant seeds in South American freshwater lakes and marshes. Feeds … |
| Clutch Size | 5-7 | 3-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Lake Duck
Male produces a mechanical, drumming staccato call; female gives a soft, nasal quack. Drumming display resembles other Oxyura stiff-tails; heard at dawn on Andean and Patagonian lakes.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Lake Duck
Resident in southern South America from central Chile and central Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego. Found on lowland lakes and lagoons.
Conservation Status
Mute Swan
Lake Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Lake Duck
Male is dark chestnut-brown with black head, pale whitish-grey cheeks, and cobalt-blue bill. Female is brownish-buff with streaked upperparts and a distinctive pale supercilium; undertail coverts whitish.
About These Birds
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.
Lake Duck
A stiff-tailed duck (~665 g) of southern South America, family Anatidae, with males displaying ruddy plumage and a bright blue bill. Inhabits freshwater lakes, ponds, and marshes from Brazil to Patagonia. Dives for aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates. Least Concern; notable for the proportionally longest penis of any vertebrate relative to body size.