Mute Swan vs Northern Shoveler
Cygnus olor compared with Spatula clypeata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mute Swan | Northern Shoveler |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus olor | Spatula clypeata |
| 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) | 45.3 cm (17.8 in) |
| Weight | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) | 631.5 g (22.28 oz) |
| Diet | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in wetlands; broadly omnivorous diet shifts with season … |
| Clutch Size | 5-7 | 5-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Northern Shoveler
Breeds on freshwater prairie ponds, marshes, and lake margins across Eurasia and North America. Winters on coastal lagoons, estuaries, freshwater lakes, and rice paddies in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
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.
Northern Shoveler
Male gives a low, hollow took-took call; female produces a laughing, descending quacking series. Courtship includes head-bobbing displays accompanied by quiet nasal grunting calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Northern Shoveler
Breeds across sub-Arctic and boreal Eurasia; winters from the British Isles to China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Mute Swan
Northern Shoveler
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
Northern Shoveler
Breeding males have iridescent green head, white breast, and rufous-chestnut flanks. Yellow eye. Pale blue forewing and green speculum. Females mottled brown. Massive spatulate bill unique among ducks. Dimorphic.
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.
Northern Shoveler
A medium-sized duck with a dramatically large spatula-shaped bill perfectly adapted for filter-feeding. Males have an iridescent green head, white breast, chestnut flanks, and sky-blue wing patches. Highly migratory; one of the Northern Hemisphere's most widespread ducks.