Mute Swan vs Spectacled Duck
Cygnus olor compared with Speculanas specularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mute Swan | Spectacled Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus olor | Speculanas specularis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) | 52.4 cm (20.6 in) |
| Weight | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) | 1248.25 g (44.03 oz) |
| Diet | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … | Eats aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet varies widely between seasons … |
| Clutch Size | 5-7 | 4-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Spectacled Duck
Clear fast-flowing rivers and streams in temperate forest from central Chile and adjacent Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego. Requires cold turbulent mountain rivers with riparian forest. Avoids slow or muddy water.
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.
Spectacled Duck
Emits deep, guttural quacking notes; alarm is a loud, repeated honking bark. Calls are resonant and powerful, carrying far along fast-flowing Patagonian rivers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Spectacled Duck
Breeds in wetlands from Iceland to Siberia; winters in temperate and subtropical Asia, Europe, and North Africa.
Conservation Status
Mute Swan
Spectacled 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
Spectacled Duck
Dark brown body with fine pale speckling. Distinctive white 'spectacle' rings around eyes. Iridescent greenish-bronze speculum. Underparts pale buff-brown. Bill grayish; legs orange. Andean and Patagonian streams.
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.
Spectacled Duck
A large dark brown duck with distinctive white spectacle-like eye-rings, a pale buff face, and a prominent white speculum. Found in fast-flowing forest rivers of southern South America. Shy and elusive; inhabits clear rushing rivers through temperate forest. Also known as the Bronze-winged Duck.