African Black Duck vs Salvadori's Teal
Anas sparsa compared with Salvadorina waigiuensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Black Duck | Salvadori's Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas sparsa | Salvadorina waigiuensis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 49.5 cm (19.5 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 996.8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 345.6666666666667 g (12.19 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 4-9 | 3-4 |
| 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.
Salvadori's Teal
Fast-flowing clear mountain streams and rivers at 1,000–3,900 m on New Guinea. Requires clean turbulent water with abundant aquatic invertebrates. Avoids lowland and polluted rivers.
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.
Salvadori's Teal
A soft, piping whistle from New Guinea mountain streams. Relatively poorly known; call is a gentle, reedy note. Behavior and vocalizations remain incompletely documented.
Conservation Status
African Black Duck
Salvadori's Teal
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 …
Salvadori's Teal
Dark brown plumage with fine pale spotting and barring throughout. Head dark brown; underparts barred brown and buff. Yellow bill with dark tip. Legs and feet yellow. Unique highland New …
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.
Salvadori's Teal
A small brown torrent-adapted duck with a yellow bill, spotted body, and barred flanks. Endemic to New Guinea's mountain rivers. Often compared to New Zealand's Blue Duck in ecological niche. Inhabits fast-flowing alpine streams. Poorly studied; listed as Vulnerable.