Black-headed Duck vs Common Scoter
Heteronetta atricapilla verglichen mit Melanitta nigra
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Black-headed Duck | Common Scoter |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Heteronetta atricapilla | Melanitta nigra |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 34,7 cm (13.7 in) | 44,2 cm (17.4 in) |
| Gewicht | 528,5 g (18.64 oz) | 1127,25 g (39.76 oz) |
| Ernährung | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Dives for bivalves, especially cockles, mussels, and clams, in shallow coastal seas. Also eats crustaceans … |
| Gelegegröße | 2 | 6-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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.
Common Scoter
Male gives a soft, piping whistle; female produces a harsh, rasping call. The male's piping whistle is subtle; female's harsh calls dominate on European winter coasts and estuaries.
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.
Common Scoter
Breeds on moorland and boreal tundra from Iceland and Britain east to western Siberia. Winters on northwestern European coasts and the Baltic Sea.
Erhaltungsstatus
Black-headed Duck
Common Scoter
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.
Common Scoter
Male is entirely sooty black without white markings; orange-yellow patch on upper bill with small black knob. Female brownish-black above with contrasting pale cream cheeks and throat.
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.
Common Scoter
A medium-sized sea duck (~1.1 kg) in family Anatidae, males entirely black with a knobbed yellow bill. Breeds on moorland lakes in northern Europe and western Siberia; winters in large flocks on shallow coastal seas. Dives for bivalves and crustaceans. Least Concern; monitored due to sensitivity to offshore energy development and oil spills.