Gadwall vs Höckerschwan
Mareca strepera verglichen mit Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Gadwall | Höckerschwan |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Mareca strepera | Cygnus olor |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | 152,0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Flügelspannweite | 50,3 cm (19.8 in) | 235,0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Gewicht | 857,5 g (30.25 oz) | 11000,0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Ernährung | Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts toward invertebrates in spring; forages in shallow … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Gelegegröße | 5-15 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Gadwall
Freshwater lakes, reservoirs, marshes, and rivers with emergent vegetation across Eurasia and North America. Winters on large open wetlands and coastal estuaries. Range and population increasing in Europe.
Höckerschwan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Gadwall
Male utters a soft, nasal nheck note; female produces a series of descending, quacking notes. Both sexes are relatively quiet; female's quacking is softer and less strident than a Mallard.
Höckerschwan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Gadwall
Found year-round in Australia and New Zealand; nomadic in arid Australia, following temporary rainfall-fed wetlands.
Höckerschwan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Erhaltungsstatus
Gadwall
Höckerschwan
How to Tell Them Apart
Gadwall
Males have finely vermiculated gray-brown plumage with black rump and undertail. White speculum patch diagnostic in flight. Females mottled brown like Mallard but smaller and with orange-sided bill. Subtle but …
Höckerschwan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
About These Birds
Gadwall
A medium-sized dabbling duck. Males appear grey-brown but are intricately patterned with fine grey vermiculations, black rump, and white speculum. Females resemble Mallard but with orange-sided bill. Widespread across Eurasia and North America. Feeds by dabbling and grazing.
Höckerschwan
Der Höckerschwan gehört zu den schwersten flugfähigen Vögeln; Männchen können bis zu 14 kg wiegen. Trotz seines englischen Namens („Mute Swan“, stummer Schwan) ist er keineswegs stumm und gibt zischende, grunzende und schnaubende Laute von sich. Höckerschwäne gehen lebenslange Paarbindungen ein, und ihre aggressive Verteidigung des Brutreviers ist bekannt.