Yellow-billed Duck vs Mute Swan
Anas undulata verglichen mit Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Yellow-billed Duck | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Anas undulata | Cygnus olor |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | 152,0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Flügelspannweite | 48,1 cm (18.9 in) | 235,0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Gewicht | 907,6666666666666 g (32.02 oz) | 11000,0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Ernährung | Dives for fish, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates; uses serrated bill to grip prey; diet shifts … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Gelegegröße | 4-12 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Yellow-billed Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, marshes, and dams across eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia and Uganda south to the Cape. Tolerates agricultural impoundments and urban wetlands. Largely sedentary.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Yellow-billed Duck
Female gives a loud, descending quacking series; male utters a soft, raspy rehb note. The female's strong quacking call is the dominant sound at sub-Saharan African wetlands.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Yellow-billed Duck
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. Sedentary in freshwater wetlands.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Erhaltungsstatus
Yellow-billed Duck
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Yellow-billed Duck
Brown body with scaly pale-edged feathers; head brown with paler face and throat. Diagnostic bright yellow bill with black central stripe. Iridescent green-and-black speculum with white borders. Sexes similar.
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
About These Birds
Yellow-billed Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck with a striking bright yellow bill. Common in freshwater wetlands across eastern and southern Africa. Often found in groups near reed beds. Closely related to the Mallard lineage. Common in parks and on large lakes.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.