Mute Swan vs Red Shoveler
Cygnus olor compared with Spatula platalea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mute Swan | Red Shoveler |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus olor | Spatula platalea |
| 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) | 42.0 cm (16.5 in) |
| Weight | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) | 511.6 g (18.05 oz) |
| Diet | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … | Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates in shallow water; diet shifts between plant matter and … |
| Clutch Size | 5-7 | 5-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Red Shoveler
Freshwater and brackish lakes, marshes, and seasonal lagoons in southern South America from Peru and Bolivia south through Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego. Partially migratory; moves northward in winter.
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.
Red Shoveler
Male emits a low, grunting kuk note; female gives a quiet, rhythmic quacking series. Pairs are generally silent; soft contact calls heard at dusk on South American grassland ponds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Red Shoveler
Breeds in Iceland, Greenland, and Arctic Canada; winters along the coasts of northwestern Europe and the British Isles.
Conservation Status
Mute Swan
Red 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
Red Shoveler
Males reddish-cinnamon with dense dark spotting; pale blue-gray head with white eye and dark streaks. Pale blue forewing and green speculum in flight. Broad spatulate bill. Females brown, mottled. South …
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.
Red Shoveler
A medium-sized shoveler with a distinctive spatula-shaped bill. Males are pale orange-brown with dark spots, grey-blue wing patch, and dark green speculum; females are mottled brown. Found across southern South America. Swims with bill tip in water, filtering zooplankton and seeds.