American Black Duck vs Spur-winged Goose
Anas rubripes compared with Plectropterus gambensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Black Duck | Spur-winged Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas rubripes | Plectropterus gambensis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) | 104.5 cm (41.1 in) |
| Weight | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) | 4475.0 g (157.85 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fish and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet shifts toward molluscs … | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and aquatic plants; dabbles in shallow water; omnivorous diet shifts with breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 1-17 | 6-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
American Black Duck only
Spur-winged Goose only
American Black Duck
Freshwater and brackish wetlands in eastern North America from Atlantic Canada south along the coast to Georgia. Breeds in northern bogs and wetlands. Winters on coastal marshes, estuaries, and freshwater lakes.
Spur-winged Goose
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and flooded grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa from the Sahel to South Africa. Feeds along wetland margins and on agricultural land near water. Nests on the ground.
Song & Call Comparison
American Black Duck
Female produces a loud, deep quacking series; male gives a low, raspy grunt. Voice is deeper and huskier than a Mallard; pairs call powerfully across northeastern North American wetlands.
Spur-winged Goose
A harsh, goose-like clucking 'uk-uk-uk' in flight. Males give a whistling hiss. Large and ungainly; its loud wing beats and harsh calls are characteristic of savanna wetlands.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Black Duck
Breeds in the steppe zone of Central Asia; winters in South Asia, East Africa, and coastal Southeast Asia.
Spur-winged Goose
Breeds across Alaska and Canada in wetlands; winters along the Pacific coast from the Aleutians to Baja California.
Conservation Status
American Black Duck
Spur-winged Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
American Black Duck
Sooty dark brown body; head and neck paler buff with dark streaking. Iridescent purple speculum without white border. Males have yellow-green bill; females olive with orange blotches. Silvery underwings in …
Spur-winged Goose
Large; black upperparts with glossy green and purple iridescence. White forehead patch, facial skin reddish, and white underparts. Males have larger red facial caruncle and bill knob than females. Spur …
About These Birds
American Black Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck closely resembling a very dark female Mallard, with purple speculum, yellowish-olive bill in males, and orange legs. Common in eastern North America. Hybridizes freely with Mallard; pure populations declining in the interior.
Spur-winged Goose
Africa's largest waterfowl, a massive goose-like bird with iridescent black-and-white plumage, a large red bill knob, bare red facial skin, and prominent bony wing spurs. Males can weigh up to 10 kg. Territorial; feeds on aquatic vegetation and agricultural crops across sub-Saharan Africa.