African Black Duck vs Marbled Duck
Anas sparsa comparé à Marmaronetta angustirostris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | African Black Duck | Marbled Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Anas sparsa | Marmaronetta angustirostris |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 49,5 cm (19.5 in) | 40,1 cm (15.8 in) |
| Poids | 996,8333333333334 g (35.16 oz) | 422,5 g (14.90 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet heavier in … | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and small fish; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic invertebrates in coastal … |
| Taille de la couvée | 4-9 | 5-20 |
| 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.
Marbled Duck
Shallow densely vegetated freshwater and brackish marshes, rice paddies, and lagoons in the Mediterranean basin, Middle East, and Central Asia. Winters in Africa and South Asia. Dependent on emergent wetland vegetation.
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.
Marbled Duck
Male gives a low, guttural chuckling; female produces a nasal, rattling quack. Calls are relatively quiet for a duck; the chuckling male call is unusual among Eurasian and North African …
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.
Marbled Duck
Breeds in the high Arctic; winters on the open Atlantic Ocean and along coastlines from Labrador to the Gulf of Mexico.
Statut de conservation
African Black Duck
Marbled 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 …
Marbled Duck
Pale sandy-buff plumage with bold white spots throughout; distinctive marbled pattern. Dark eye patch forming mask. Pale face and throat. No iridescent speculum. Gray bill; gray legs. Sexes similar. Mediterranean …
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.
Marbled Duck
A pale sandy-buff duck with distinctive marbled dark and light brown spotting on body and wings, a dark eyepatch, and pale bill. Found in Mediterranean scrub-wetlands and Middle Eastern marshes. Migratory; breeds in southern Europe and central Asia, winters in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.