African Black Duck vs Pink-eared Duck
Anas sparsa comparé à Malacorhynchus membranaceus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | African Black Duck | Pink-eared Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Anas sparsa | Malacorhynchus membranaceus |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 49,5 cm (19.5 in) | 36,7 cm (14.4 in) |
| Poids | 996,8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 366,25 g (12.92 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Highly specialized filter-feeder; spatulate bill strains algae and zooplankton from turbid Australian floodwaters; tracks inland … |
| Taille de la couvée | 4-9 | 6-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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.
Pink-eared Duck
Ephemeral and permanent inland wetlands, flooded grasslands, and claypans across Australia. Highly nomadic, following unpredictable inland flooding. Most common in the Murray-Darling Basin in flood years.
Song & Call Comparison
African Black Duck
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.
Pink-eared Duck
A soft, high-pitched rattling 'zarr-zarr' or reedy whistle. Considered a quiet duck. Calls while feeding in shallow Australian wetlands and flooded grasslands.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Black Duck
Resident across South and Southeast Asia, from India to southern China and the Philippines. Non-migratory in most of its range.
Pink-eared Duck
Breeds across Eurasia; winters across sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most widespread Palearctic–African long-distance migrants.
Statut de conservation
African Black Duck
Pink-eared Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
African Black Duck
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 …
Pink-eared Duck
Pale gray-brown body with bold dark brown barring on flanks. Brown-streaked crown; white face with brown eye-patch. Tiny pink ear-spot behind eye. Wide gray spatulate bill. Striped flanks diagnostic. Sexes …
About These Birds
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.
Pink-eared Duck
A small highly specialized duck with a large spatula-shaped bill for filter-feeding, grey-brown plumage with bold facial stripe, and a tiny pink patch behind the eye. Endemic to Australia. Highly nomadic; follows inland flooding. Expert filter-feeder on microscopic algae and invertebrates.