Canvasback vs Mute Swan
Aythya valisineria comparé à Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Canvasback | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Aythya valisineria | Cygnus olor |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | 152,0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Envergure | 44,7 cm (17.6 in) | 235,0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Poids | 1223,25 g (43.15 oz) | 11000,0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated by … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-16 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Canvasback
Breeds on prairie potholes and boreal lakes across western North America. Winters on large open lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, and Chesapeake Bay. Sensitive to loss of prairie wetlands.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Canvasback
Male produces a low, cooing purr; female gives a harsh, rolling quacking series. Males whisper-call in rolling, cooing notes during courtship; female's harsh quacking is emphatic on North American marshes.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Canvasback
Breeds in wooded wetlands of Canada and the northern United States; winters in the southern US and Central America.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Statut de conservation
Canvasback
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Canvasback
Males have rich chestnut-red head and neck; black breast; pale canvas-gray body; white flanks. Sloping forehead profile with dark red bill and red eye. Females gray-brown with reddish-brown head. Dimorphic …
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
About These Birds
Canvasback
A large diving duck with a distinctive sloping forehead and long sloped bill. Males have a rich chestnut-red head, black breast, and pale white-grey body; females are grey-brown. Named for its canvas-like grey back. Dives for aquatic roots and tubers, especially wild celery.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.