Amsterdam Duck vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Anas marecula comparé à Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Amsterdam Duck | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Anas marecula | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Extinct | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | — | 37,2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Poids | 289,5 g (10.21 oz) | 779,5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Extinct Auckland Islands Merganser; fed on freshwater fish and aquatic invertebrates in streams; inferred from … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Taille de la couvée | -- | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Amsterdam Duck
Historically restricted to Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean. Now extinct. Presumably inhabited the island's freshwater sources and coastal areas.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.
Song & Call Comparison
Amsterdam Duck
Extinct (EX). No recordings exist. As an Anas relative, likely gave a typical duck-like quacking call; male may have had a soft whistled note similar to other island teals.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.
Geographic Range & Migration
Amsterdam Duck
Breeds on sub-Antarctic islands of the South Indian Ocean; disperses across the Southern Ocean when not nesting.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Statut de conservation
Amsterdam Duck
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Amsterdam Duck
Extinct Amsterdam Island duck known only from bones and a single historical description. Presumably brown plumage typical of Anas dabbling ducks. Flightless or near-flightless; extirpated by introduced predators.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Amsterdam Duck
An extinct diving duck known from subfossil remains discovered on Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean. Flightless or nearly flightless; probably resembled the Laysan Duck in size. Went extinct around 1800 following human colonization of the island.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.