African Black Duck vs Red-crested Pochard
Anas sparsa compared with Netta rufina
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Red-crested Pochard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Netta rufina |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 51.7 cm (20.4 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 1087.5 g (38.36 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Dives for molluscs and aquatic invertebrates in coastal habitats; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic invertebrates. |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 6-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
African Black Duck
Fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams, mountain gorges, and waterfalls from sea level to 4,000 m across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Requires clear turbulent water with boulders.
Red-crested Pochard
Large freshwater and brackish lakes, reservoirs, river deltas, and coastal lagoons across southern Europe and Central Asia. Winters on large open water bodies in southern Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Song & Call Comparison
African Black Duck
Produces a harsh, resonant quacking call; alarm is a loud, emphatic quack repeated rapidly. Both sexes call with strong quacking; pairs duet with synchronized calls along African rivers.
Red-crested Pochard
Male emits a harsh, rasping errr note; female gives a loud, quacking series. The raspy male call is distinctive among pochards; alarm is an emphatic, repeated series on Eurasian lakes.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Resident across South and Southeast Asia, from India to southern China and the Philippines. Non-migratory in most of its range.
Red-crested Pochard
Breeds across Arctic and subarctic North America; winters broadly across the interior and coastal United States.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Red-crested Pochard
How to Tell Them Apart
African Black Duck
Dark blackish-brown plumage with bold white spots on back and scapulars. Iridescent blue-green speculum with white borders. Head dark with pale spots. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar. Fast-flowing …
Red-crested Pochard
Males have rounded orange-rufous head with bright red bill; black breast, neck and undertail; white flanks; brown back. Females dark brown with pale cheeks. Bold white wing stripe in flight. …
About These Birds
African Black Duck
A medium-sized dark brown duck with white spots on the back, a dark bill, and orange legs. Found along fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams in Africa. Territorial and monogamous; pairs defend stretches of river. Related to Pacific Black Duck.
Red-crested Pochard
A large handsome diving duck. Males have a magnificent orange-red rounded head, scarlet bill, black breast and rear, and white flanks; females are brown with contrasting pale cheek. Dives and dabbles for aquatic vegetation. Found across southern Eurasia.