Black-headed Duck vs Smew

Heteronetta atricapilla comparado con Mergellus albellus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Atributo Black-headed Duck Smew
Nombre científico Heteronetta atricapilla Mergellus albellus
Orden Anseriformes Anseriformes
Familia Anatidae Anatidae
Estado de conservación Least Concern Least Concern
Longitud
Envergadura 34,7 cm (13.7 in) 37,5 cm (14.8 in)
Peso 528,5 g (18.64 oz) 658,75 g (23.24 oz)
Dieta Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … Dives for small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans in freshwater and coastal habitats. Uses serrated …
Tamaño de la puesta 2 5-11
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Hábitats compartidos

Black-headed Duck only

Ninguno

Smew only

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Song & Call Comparison

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.

Smew

Canto

Male gives a soft, crow-like krr note; female produces a grating, rasping call. Both sexes are relatively quiet; the male's harsh, crow-like call is surprisingly low for such a small …

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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.

Smew

Breeds in boreal forests of northern Europe and Siberia. Winters on large lakes and coasts from western Europe east to Japan and China.

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Estado de conservación

Least Concern

Black-headed Duck

Least Concern

Smew

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How to Tell Them Apart

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.

Smew

Plumaje

Male is largely white with black eye patch, black lines on back, and fine black lines on flanks creating a cracked-ice pattern. Female has chestnut-red head, white cheeks, and grey …

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About These Birds

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.

Smew

La serreta chica o smew es el más pequeño y quizás el más hermoso de los mergansos. El macho en plumaje nupcial es casi enteramente blanco con finas líneas negras y parches negros en la cara. La hembra tiene la cabeza castaña con las mejillas blancas y el cuerpo gris. Cría en bosques boreales de Europa y Asia, y pasa el invierno en lagos y ríos de Europa occidental.

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