Spotted Whistling-duck vs Cape Shoveler
Dendrocygna guttata verglichen mit Spatula smithii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Spotted Whistling-duck | Cape Shoveler |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Dendrocygna guttata | Spatula smithii |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 41,3 cm (16.3 in) | 45,8 cm (18.0 in) |
| Gewicht | 677,5 g (23.90 oz) | 629,75 g (22.21 oz) |
| Ernährung | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … | Eats seeds, plant matter, and aquatic invertebrates; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more invertebrate-rich in … |
| Gelegegröße | 10-11 | 5-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Gemeinsame Lebensräume
Spotted Whistling-duck only
Cape Shoveler only
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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.
Cape Shoveler
Freshwater and saline lakes, estuaries, and wetlands across southern Africa from Zimbabwe south to the Cape. Most common on the Western Cape. Tolerates saline habitats better than most ducks.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Cape Shoveler
Male utters a low, grunting tok note; female produces a series of soft quacks. Pairs vocalize quietly at Cape wetlands; female's quacking call is louder and more emphatic than male's.
Geographic Range & Migration
Spotted Whistling-duck
Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.
Cape Shoveler
Breeds in sub-Arctic wetlands of Eurasia; winters on lakes and reservoirs from western Europe to eastern China and Japan.
Erhaltungsstatus
Spotted Whistling-duck
Cape Shoveler
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Cape Shoveler
Dull olive-brown body mottled dark; males slightly paler with yellow-orange eye. Pale blue-gray forewing and green speculum in flight. Long spatulate bill dark. Orange-yellow legs. Sexes similar. South African endemic.
About These Birds
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.
Cape Shoveler
A medium-sized shoveler with a characteristic large spatula-shaped bill. Males have yellow-orange eyes, brown head, and spotted brownish body; females are mottled brown. Endemic to southern Africa. Found mainly on the Western Cape's lakes and saline pans.