Musk Duck vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Biziura lobata comparé à Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Musk Duck | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Biziura lobata | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 42,3 cm (16.7 in) | 37,2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Poids | 1930,75 g (68.11 oz) | 779,5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Dives for aquatic invertebrates, small fish, and plant material in Australian freshwater lakes. Highly aquatic; … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-3 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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
Musk Duck
Male produces a loud, explosive plonk call followed by bill-drumming on the water surface; female gives a harsh quack. The male's bizarre splashing display is unique and unmistakable among Australian …
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
Musk Duck
Endemic to southern Australia, including southeastern and southwestern regions. Found on wetlands with lignum and reeds.
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
Musk Duck
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Musk Duck
Both sexes are uniformly dark sooty-brown, densely barred and vermiculated with black; male has distinctive pendulous black lobe hanging below bill. Females and immatures are smaller and lack the lobe.
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
Musk Duck
Australia's largest stiff-tailed duck (~1.9 kg), family Anatidae, males bearing a leathery lobe pendant from the bill. Inhabits deep permanent freshwater lakes and swamps in southern Australia. Males emit a musky odor during courtship displays. Dives for fish, frogs, crustaceans, and mollusks. Least Concern; solitary and rarely seen due to secretive behavior.
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.