Common Goldeneye vs Spotted Whistling-duck

Bucephala clangula verglichen mit Dendrocygna guttata

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal Common Goldeneye Spotted Whistling-duck
Wissenschaftlicher Name Bucephala clangula Dendrocygna guttata
Ordnung Anseriformes Anseriformes
Familie Anatidae Anatidae
Erhaltungsstatus Least Concern Least Concern
Länge
Flügelspannweite 41,7 cm (16.4 in) 41,3 cm (16.3 in)
Gewicht 921,0 g (32.49 oz) 677,5 g (23.90 oz)
Ernährung Dives for aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish. Forages in lakes, rivers, and coastal … Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to …
Gelegegröße 1-28 10-11
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

Common Goldeneye only

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Spotted Whistling-duck only

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.

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Song & Call Comparison

Common Goldeneye

Gesang

Male emits a buzzy, insect-like zeee-zeee-zeee wing whistle; female gives a grating quack. The mechanical wing-whistle produced by the male in display flight is the species' most distinctive sound.

Spotted Whistling-duck

Gesang

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.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Common Goldeneye

Breeds across boreal forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters on coasts and large lakes south to the Mediterranean and the Gulf states.

Spotted Whistling-duck

Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.

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Erhaltungsstatus

Least Concern

Common Goldeneye

Least Concern

Spotted Whistling-duck

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How to Tell Them Apart

Common Goldeneye

Gefieder

Male has glossy green-black head with round white spot at bill base; body white with black back and scapulars; yellow eye. Female has chocolate-brown head, white collar, and grey body.

Spotted Whistling-duck

Gefieder

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.

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About These Birds

Common Goldeneye

A medium-sized diving duck (~920 g) of family Anatidae, males with iridescent green heads and a round white cheek spot. Breeds near boreal lakes and rivers, nesting in tree cavities across Eurasia and North America; winters on coastal and inland waters. Dives for invertebrates, fish, and plant matter. Least Concern with widespread distribution.

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.

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