Black-headed Duck vs Flying Steamerduck
Heteronetta atricapilla comparado con Tachyeres patachonicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Black-headed Duck | Flying Steamerduck |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Heteronetta atricapilla | Tachyeres patachonicus |
| Orden | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familia | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Estado de conservación | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longitud | — | — |
| Envergadura | 34,7 cm (13.7 in) | 57,4 cm (22.6 in) |
| Peso | 528,5 g (18.64 oz) | 2620,75 g (92.44 oz) |
| Dieta | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Dabbles for seeds, invertebrates, and aquatic vegetation; widespread; diet varies from predominantly plant-based to invertebrate-rich. |
| Tamaño de la puesta | 2 | 5-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Hábitats compartidos
Black-headed Duck only
Flying Steamerduck only
Flying Steamerduck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, coastal bays, and channels in Patagonian Chile and Argentina from the Lakes Region south to Tierra del Fuego. Partially migratory; some populations move to coasts in winter.
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.
Flying Steamerduck
A harsh, rattling 'rrrrr' and nasal calls. Flying Steamerduck can fly (unlike some relatives) and gives vocal calls in flight. Contact calls are clattering and guttural.
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.
Flying Steamerduck
Breeds across the boreal and subarctic zone of North America; winters broadly across the southern United States and Mexico.
Estado de conservación
Black-headed Duck
Flying Steamerduck
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.
Flying Steamerduck
Males gray with chestnut-brown breast and white eye-stripe. Females brown-gray with white eye-ring and chestnut flanks. Orange-yellow bill. Only Tachyeres species capable of sustained flight. Wings larger.
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.
Flying Steamerduck
The only flying species among the four steamerducks, with grey plumage, rufous-washed head, and an orange-yellow bill. Can fly strongly unlike its relatives. Found in Patagonian freshwater and coastal habitats. Highly territorial; pairs defend stretches of river or lakeshore aggressively.