Black Swan vs Long-tailed Duck
Cygnus atratus comparé à Clangula hyemalis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Black Swan | Long-tailed Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Cygnus atratus | Clangula hyemalis |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Longueur | 130,0 cm (51.2 in) | — |
| Envergure | 190,0 cm (74.8 in) | 43,1 cm (17.0 in) |
| Poids | 6200,0 g (218.70 oz) | 782,0 g (27.58 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … | Dives deeply for crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish in Arctic and subarctic seas. Freshwater invertebrates … |
| Taille de la couvée | 4-6 | 2-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Song & Call Comparison
Black Swan
Gives a musical bugling 'boo-boo-boo' in flight and softer honking on water. Less vocal than Mute Swan; produces a baying call when alarmed. Wings whistle softly in flight.
Long-tailed Duck
Male sings a musical, yodeling ow-owlet-aaaalett sequence; female gives a low, grunting quack. The male's loud, harmonious yodeling is arguably the most musical call among all waterfowl species.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Long-tailed Duck
Circumpolar High Arctic breeder. Winters at sea on coasts of northwestern Europe, northeastern North America, and the Bering Sea region.
Statut de conservation
Black Swan
Long-tailed Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Black Swan
Almost entirely black with white flight feathers visible in flight. Red bill with a white band near the tip. Dark red to reddish-brown iris.
Bright red bill with a pale tip and prominent white band
Long-tailed Duck
Male in winter is mostly white with dark brown chest band, scapulars, and cheek patch; elongated central tail feathers extend well beyond body. Female is brownish with white face, dark …
About These Birds
Black Swan
The black swan was once considered impossible by Europeans who believed all swans were white, making it a famous philosophical example of inductive reasoning failure. It is the state emblem of Western Australia. Black swans form lifelong pair bonds and both parents share in incubation and care of cygnets.
Long-tailed Duck
A medium-sized Arctic sea duck (~780 g) in family Anatidae, males having elongated central tail feathers. Breeds across circumpolar tundra; winters in large flocks on coastal and open-ocean waters. Dives to impressive depths for crustaceans, fish, and mollusks. Vulnerable; steep population declines linked to bycatch in fishing nets and climate change.