African Black Duck vs Radjah Shelduck
Anas sparsa compared with Radjah radjah
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Radjah Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Radjah radjah |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 54.0 cm (21.3 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 883.5 g (31.16 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; also grazes on grasses; diet shifts between land and … |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 6-15 |
| 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.
Radjah Shelduck
Mangroves, tidal mudflats, tropical coastal wetlands, and freshwater lagoons in New Guinea and the tropical north of Australia (Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia). Nests in tree hollows near water.
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.
Radjah Shelduck
A loud, rattling 'radjah-radjah' or repeated cackling 'rak-rak-rak'. Calls from tropical Australian and New Guinea wetlands. Name is partly onomatopoeic.
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.
Radjah Shelduck
Breeds in the eastern Arctic of Russia; winters across southern Asia, from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Radjah Shelduck
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 …
Radjah Shelduck
White head and body with chestnut breastband and white-spotted chestnut scapulars. Pink bill and legs. Iridescent green speculum with white bar visible in flight. Sexes similar. Australasian mangrove specialist.
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.
Radjah Shelduck
A medium-sized elegant shelduck with white body plumage, chestnut breast band, dark green back, and pinkish-red bill and legs. Found in coastal mangroves, mudflats, and tropical wetlands of New Guinea and northern Australia. Calls with a loud raspy rattling sound.