West Indian Whistling-duck vs Black-headed Duck

Dendrocygna arborea comparado con Heteronetta atricapilla

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo West Indian Whistling-duck Black-headed Duck
Nombre científico Dendrocygna arborea Heteronetta atricapilla
Orden Anseriformes Anseriformes
Familia Anatidae Anatidae
Estado de conservación Near Threatened Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 51,3 cm (20.2 in) 34,7 cm (13.7 in)
Peso 1030,0 g (36.33 oz) 528,5 g (18.64 oz)
Dieta Eats grasses, sedges, and grains; migratory goose foraging in Arctic tundra in summer; overwinters on … Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet …
Tamaño de la puesta 4-16 2
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

West Indian Whistling-duck only

Black-headed Duck only

West Indian Whistling-duck

Freshwater lakes, mangrove swamps, palm savannas, and forested wetlands in the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Nests in palm crowns and hollow trees. Highly dependent on Caribbean wet forests and freshwater lagoons.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

West Indian Whistling-duck

Canto

A loud, 3-syllable whistle 'whee-whee-whee'. The NT conservation status reflects population pressures. Less commonly heard than its more abundant whistling-duck relatives.

Black-headed Duck

Canto

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

West Indian Whistling-duck

Found in grassy wetlands and floodplains of Madagascar. Non-migratory and endemic to the island's eastern marshes.

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Estado de conservación

Near Threatened

West Indian Whistling-duck

Least Concern

Black-headed Duck

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

West Indian Whistling-duck

Plumaje

Dark brown upperparts; head and neck dark with pale sides. Flanks black with bold white spots. Breast dark brown; belly blackish with white flank streaks. Long dark legs. Largest Dendrocygna. …

Black-headed Duck

Plumaje

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

West Indian Whistling-duck

El pato silbador del Caribe o pato silbador cubano es el mayor de los patos silbadores y está restringido al Caribe. Tiene plumaje marrón oscuro con la cabeza más pálida y manchas negras y blancas en los flancos. Habita en manglares, bosques costeros y palmares, anidando en palmeras. Está clasificado como vulnerable por la caza y la pérdida de hábitat.

Black-headed Duck

El pato cabeza negra es un pequeño pato buceador (~530 g) de América del Sur, familia Anatidae, y el único miembro del género Heteronetta. Tiene la cabeza negra en el macho y cuerpo marrón. Parásita de nido obligada: pone sus huevos en los nidos de otras aves acuáticas, especialmente fochas y pollas de agua. Habita en lagos y lagunas con vegetación emergente de Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Paraguay y Uruguay. No cría su propia cría nunca.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family