Black-headed Duck vs Comb Duck
Heteronetta atricapilla verglichen mit Sarkidiornis sylvicola
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Black-headed Duck | Comb Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Heteronetta atricapilla | Sarkidiornis sylvicola |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 34,7 cm (13.7 in) | 60,9 cm (24.0 in) |
| Gewicht | 528,5 g (18.64 oz) | 1817,5 g (64.11 oz) |
| Ernährung | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Feeds on seeds, plant material, and invertebrates; dabbles and sifts shallow water; diet varies widely … |
| Gelegegröße | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Comb Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, flooded savannas, and seasonally inundated forest in lowland tropical South America from Panama south to Bolivia, Brazil, and northern Argentina. Nests in tree cavities near permanent water.
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.
Comb Duck
A soft, nasal 'wuk-wuk' call. Both sexes give similar quiet calls. Generally a less vocal duck than most waterfowl. Gives a rattling wingbeat sound during flight.
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.
Comb Duck
Breeds in the prairie pothole region of central North America; winters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico.
Erhaltungsstatus
Black-headed Duck
Comb 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.
Comb Duck
Males have white head densely spotted black; black back with blue-green iridescence; white underparts with gray flanks. Prominent black fleshy knob on bill. Females smaller, duller, lack knob. South American.
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.
Comb Duck
A large pied duck with a black-and-white body and, in males, a large black knob on the upper mandible during breeding season. The New World Comb Duck found from Panama to northern Argentina. Nests in tree cavities near lakes. Feeds by dabbling and grazing in wetland margins.