Wood Duck vs African Black Duck

Aix sponsa comparé à Anas sparsa

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Wood Duck African Black Duck
Nom scientifique Aix sponsa Anas sparsa
Ordre Anseriformes Anseriformes
Famille Anatidae Anatidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 44,1 cm (17.4 in) 49,5 cm (19.5 in)
Poids 691,75 g (24.40 oz) 996,8333333333334 g (35.16 oz)
Régime alimentaire Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts between plant matter and invertebrates seasonally in … --
Taille de la couvée 9-15 4-9
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Wood Duck only

African Black Duck only

Wood Duck

Wooded swamps, beaver ponds, forested river margins, and tree-lined lakes in eastern and western North America. Nests in tree cavities up to 15m high. Readily uses nest boxes. Winters on wooded freshwater wetlands.

African Black Duck

Fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams, mountain gorges, and waterfalls from sea level to 4,000 m across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia and Kenya south to the Cape. Requires clear turbulent water with boulders.

Song & Call Comparison

Wood Duck

Chant

Male gives a loud, rising 'jeeee' whistle; female gives a soft, nasal 'oo-eek'. One of North America's most beautiful ducks; its call matches its spectacular appearance.

African Black Duck

Chant

Produces a harsh, resonant quacking call; alarm is a loud, emphatic quack repeated rapidly. Both sexes call with strong quacking; pairs duet with synchronized calls along African rivers.

Geographic Range & Migration

Wood Duck

Breeds in Eurasia; winters across tropical and southern Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia.

African Black Duck

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Wood Duck

Least Concern

African Black Duck

How to Tell Them Apart

Wood Duck

Plumage

Males iridescent green and purple-crested head with white throat patches and facial stripes. Chestnut breast, buffy flanks, dark back. Red eye and bill. Females gray-brown with white eye-ring teardrop. Spectacular …

African Black Duck

Plumage

Dark blackish-brown plumage with bold white spots on back and scapulars. Iridescent blue-green speculum with white borders. Head dark with pale spots. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar. Fast-flowing …

About These Birds

Wood Duck

One of North America's most ornate ducks; males have an iridescent green-and-purple crested head, complex face patterning, chestnut breast, and colorful bill. Females are elegantly marked in brown and grey. Nests in tree cavities along forested waterways. Recovered strongly from near-extinction after 1918 legal protection.

African Black Duck

A medium-sized dark brown duck with white spots on the back, a dark bill, and orange legs. Found along fast-flowing rocky rivers and streams in Africa. Territorial and monogamous; pairs defend stretches of river. Related to Pacific Black Duck.

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