Black-headed Duck vs Harlequin Duck
Heteronetta atricapilla verglichen mit Histrionicus histrionicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Black-headed Duck | Harlequin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Heteronetta atricapilla | Histrionicus histrionicus |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 34,7 cm (13.7 in) | 38,8 cm (15.3 in) |
| Gewicht | 528,5 g (18.64 oz) | 553,0 g (19.51 oz) |
| Ernährung | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Forages in fast-flowing streams for aquatic insect larvae, amphipods, and small fish. Dives and clings … |
| Gelegegröße | 2 | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Gemeinsame Lebensräume
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Black-headed Duck only
Harlequin Duck only
Song & Call Comparison
Black-headed Duck
Male gives a soft, raspy peeping note; female produces a muted quack. An obligate brood parasite with reduced vocalizations; subdued calls suit its secretive lifestyle among Argentine reeds.
Harlequin Duck
Male gives a squeaky, mouse-like squeal; female produces a guttural, grunting call. The male's bizarre, high-pitched squealing call is completely unexpected in such a compact seaduck.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-headed Duck
Resident in southern South America from southern Brazil and Bolivia south to Argentina and Chile. Found on lakes and marshes in open lowlands.
Harlequin Duck
Breeds on fast-flowing rivers in Iceland, Greenland, and northern North America. Winters along rocky Pacific and Atlantic coasts south to California.
Erhaltungsstatus
Black-headed Duck
Harlequin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-headed Duck
Male has distinctive jet-black head and neck, warm chestnut-brown back, and pale buff underparts; blue-grey bill with red base. Female is streaked brown above with pale supercilium and whitish underparts.
Harlequin Duck
Male is slate-blue with bold white crescent before eye, white spots and streaks on head, neck, and scapulars, and rich chestnut flanks. Female is dark sooty-brown with three white facial …
About These Birds
Black-headed Duck
A small diving duck (~530 g) of South America, family Anatidae, and the sole member of genus Heteronetta. Inhabits freshwater marshes and lakes in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Unique among waterfowl as an obligate brood parasite, laying eggs in nests of coots and other waterbirds. Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.
Harlequin Duck
A compact sea duck (~550 g) in family Anatidae, males strikingly patterned in slate-blue with chestnut and white markings. Breeds along fast-flowing mountain streams in North America, Greenland, and Iceland; winters on rocky surf-swept coastlines. Feeds on aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern with stable populations across its range.