Black Swan vs West Indian Whistling-duck
Cygnus atratus comparé à Dendrocygna arborea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Black Swan | West Indian Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Cygnus atratus | Dendrocygna arborea |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Longueur | 130,0 cm (51.2 in) | — |
| Envergure | 190,0 cm (74.8 in) | 51,3 cm (20.2 in) |
| Poids | 6200,0 g (218.70 oz) | 1030,0 g (36.33 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … | Eats grasses, sedges, and grains; migratory goose foraging in Arctic tundra in summer; overwinters on … |
| Taille de la couvée | 4-6 | 4-16 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
Black Swan only
Aucun(e)
West Indian Whistling-duck only
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
West Indian Whistling-duck
Freshwater lakes, mangrove swamps, palm savannas, and forested wetlands in the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Nests in palm crowns and hollow trees. Highly dependent on Caribbean wet forests and freshwater lagoons.
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.
West Indian Whistling-duck
A loud, 3-syllable whistle 'whee-whee-whee'. The NT conservation status reflects population pressures. Less commonly heard than its more abundant whistling-duck relatives.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
West Indian Whistling-duck
Found in grassy wetlands and floodplains of Madagascar. Non-migratory and endemic to the island's eastern marshes.
Statut de conservation
Black Swan
West Indian Whistling-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
West Indian Whistling-duck
Dark brown upperparts; head and neck dark with pale sides. Flanks black with bold white spots. Breast dark brown; belly blackish with white flank streaks. Long dark legs. Largest Dendrocygna. …
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.
West Indian Whistling-duck
A large dark whistling-duck with brown and black plumage, a pale face, and chestnut underparts with dark streaks. Endemic to the Caribbean. The largest native duck in the West Indies; listed as Vulnerable due to hunting and habitat loss. Roosts communally in palms and forest trees.