Black-headed Duck vs Steller's Eider
Heteronetta atricapilla verglichen mit Polysticta stelleri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Black-headed Duck | Steller's Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Heteronetta atricapilla | Polysticta stelleri |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 34,7 cm (13.7 in) | 40,7 cm (16.0 in) |
| Gewicht | 528,5 g (18.64 oz) | 815,75 g (28.77 oz) |
| Ernährung | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal and estuarine habitats; diet invertebrate-dominated. |
| Gelegegröße | 2 | 3-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Steller's Eider
Breeds on low-lying coastal tundra in Arctic Russia and occasionally Alaska. Winters on shallow rocky sea coasts, kelp beds, and sheltered bays in the Baltic Sea and Pacific coast of Alaska. Listed as Vulnerable.
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.
Steller's Eider
Male produces a low, soft cooing note; female gives a guttural, grunting purr. Quieter than other eiders; the male's gentle cooing is unlike the louder calls of the Common Eider.
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.
Steller's Eider
Breeds in boreal Canada and Alaska; winters along Pacific and Atlantic coasts and on large interior lakes of the US.
Erhaltungsstatus
Black-headed Duck
Steller's Eider
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.
Steller's Eider
Males have white head with green nape spot, black eye patch and chin; orange-buff underparts; black back with white wing patches. Females mottled dark brown with blue speculum bordered white. …
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.
Steller's Eider
A small sea duck. Males have a white head with green facial markings, black throat patch, chestnut underparts, and white back; females are dark brown. The smallest eider. Breeds in Arctic tundra; winters in Baltic Sea and Alaskan coastal waters. Vulnerable to contaminants and oil spills.