Mute Swan vs Spectacled Eider
Cygnus olor comparado con Somateria fischeri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Mute Swan | Spectacled Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Cygnus olor | Somateria fischeri |
| Orden | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familia | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Estado de conservación | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Longitud | 152,0 cm (59.8 in) | — |
| Envergadura | 235,0 cm (92.5 in) | 49,2 cm (19.4 in) |
| Peso | 11000,0 g (388.01 oz) | 1443,75 g (50.93 oz) |
| Dieta | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … | Dives for bivalves, crustaceans, and aquatic insects in shallow Arctic coastal and freshwater habitats. Insects … |
| Tamaño de la puesta | 5-7 | 1-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Spectacled Eider
Male gives a low, melodious aah-ooo cooing; female produces a guttural, grunting call. The male's ghostly, organ-like cooing call carries across Arctic tundra ponds in the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Spectacled Eider
Breeds on coastal tundra of western and northern Alaska. Winters along the Bering Sea coast from Alaska to Kamchatka. Largely sedentary.
Estado de conservación
Mute Swan
Spectacled Eider
How to Tell Them Apart
Mute Swan
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
Spectacled Eider
Male has white back and black breast with pale sage-green head framed by large white goggle-like spectacles edged black. Female mottled tawny-brown with faint spectacle outline.
About These Birds
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.
Spectacled Eider
El eider del espectáculo es un gran eider ártico con el macho de cabeza verdosa y un espectacular parche ocular blanco con contorno negro que recuerda a unas gafas. Cría en la tundra del norte de Alaska y Siberia, y pasa la mayor parte del invierno en el mar de Bering. Está clasificado como amenazado, con declives de población en Alaska.