African Black Duck vs South African Shelduck
Anas sparsa verglichen mit Tadorna cana
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | African Black Duck | South African Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Anas sparsa | Tadorna cana |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 49,5 cm (19.5 in) | 69,0 cm (27.2 in) |
| Gewicht | 996,8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 1323,6666666666667 g (46.69 oz) |
| Ernährung | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet more invertebrate-heavy in breeding … |
| Gelegegröße | 4-9 | 4-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Gemeinsame Lebensräume
African Black Duck only
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South African Shelduck only
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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.
South African Shelduck
Inland freshwater and saline lakes, pans, dams, and rivers across southern Africa, primarily on the South African plateau, Lesotho, and Namibia. Nests in burrows dug by aardvark. Highly terrestrial for a shelduck.
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.
South African Shelduck
Male gives a whistled 'wheeu'; female gives a harsh, descending cackle. Calls from South African wetlands and vleis. Sexual dimorphism in call is strong.
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.
South African Shelduck
Breeds in subarctic Eurasia and winters in sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia.
Erhaltungsstatus
African Black Duck
South African 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 …
South African Shelduck
Males have gray head and neck; rufous-brown body with white wing coverts and green speculum. Females similar but with white facial markings around bill and eye. Body rich rufous-chestnut. Endemic …
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.
South African Shelduck
A large shelduck with a grey head in males or white-and-grey head with white facial patches in females, orange-brown body, and white wing coverts. Endemic to southern Africa. Common on inland freshwater and saline lakes across South Africa's interior plateau.