Wood Duck vs Black-headed Duck
Aix sponsa comparé à Heteronetta atricapilla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Wood Duck | Black-headed Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Aix sponsa | Heteronetta atricapilla |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 44,1 cm (17.4 in) | 34,7 cm (13.7 in) |
| Poids | 691,75 g (24.40 oz) | 528,5 g (18.64 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts between plant matter and invertebrates seasonally in … | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … |
| Taille de la couvée | 9-15 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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.
Song & Call Comparison
Wood Duck
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.
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.
Geographic Range & Migration
Wood Duck
Breeds in Eurasia; winters across tropical and southern Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia.
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.
Statut de conservation
Wood Duck
Black-headed Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Wood Duck
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 …
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.
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.
Black-headed Duck
A small diving duck (~530 g) of South America, family Anatidae, and the sole member of genus Heteronetta. Inhabits freshwater marshes and lakes in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Unique among waterfowl as an obligate brood parasite, laying eggs in nests of coots and other waterbirds. Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.