Lesser Scaup vs Spotted Whistling-duck
Aythya affinis verglichen mit Dendrocygna guttata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Lesser Scaup | Spotted Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Aythya affinis | Dendrocygna guttata |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 39,6 cm (15.6 in) | 41,3 cm (16.3 in) |
| Gewicht | 853,75 g (30.12 oz) | 677,5 g (23.90 oz) |
| Ernährung | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal habitats; hard-shelled benthic prey dominates diet. | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … |
| Gelegegröße | 6-14 | 10-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Gemeinsame Lebensräume
Lesser Scaup only
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Spotted Whistling-duck only
Lesser Scaup
Breeds on boreal lakes, ponds, and wetlands in Canada and Alaska. Winters on large lakes, reservoirs, coastal bays, and freshwater across the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America. Often in large rafts.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Freshwater wetlands, rice fields, streams, and forest pools in New Guinea, Sulawesi, the Philippines, and Moluccas. Often found near forested rivers and seasonal swamps at low elevations.
Song & Call Comparison
Lesser Scaup
Male produces a soft, low purring call; female gives a harsh, nasal scaup sound. Voice nearly identical to Greater Scaup but slightly higher; flocks create a burbling, nasal chatter.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A musical, high whistle similar to other whistling-ducks. Call is softer and less far-carrying than White-faced or Black-bellied species. Given in flight and on water.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lesser Scaup
Breeds in the forested interior of central Canada; winters on large lakes and rivers of the southeastern United States.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.
Erhaltungsstatus
Lesser Scaup
Spotted Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Lesser Scaup
Males have peaked purple-glossed black head; white flanks; black breast and undertail; gray back. Yellow eye. Smaller than Greater Scaup with peaked crown. Females dark brown with white face patch. …
Spotted Whistling-duck
Dark brown above; head and neck dark brown. Underparts heavily spotted white on dark brown ground, giving spotted appearance. Flanks with bold white spots. Pink-red bill and legs. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Lesser Scaup
A medium-sized diving duck nearly identical to Greater Scaup but with a peaked purple-glossed head, narrower bill nail, and smaller white wing stripe. The most abundant diving duck in North America. Breeds in boreal Canada and Alaska; winters across the southern United States and beyond.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A small dark brown whistling-duck with bold white spots on its flanks, orange-red bill and legs, and a pale face. Found in tropical wetlands of New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Often found near freshwater streams and flooded grassland. Less gregarious than other whistling-ducks.