Black Swan vs Wandering Albatross

Cygnus atratus comparé à Diomedea exulans

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Black Swan Wandering Albatross
Nom scientifique Cygnus atratus Diomedea exulans
Ordre Anseriformes Procellariiformes
Famille Anatidae Diomedeidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Vulnerable
Longueur 130,0 cm (51.2 in) 117,0 cm (46.1 in)
Envergure 190,0 cm (74.8 in) 320,0 cm (126.0 in)
Poids 6200,0 g (218.70 oz) 9000,0 g (317.47 oz)
Régime alimentaire Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … Squid, fish, and crustaceans caught from the ocean surface, often at night. Follows fishing vessels …
Taille de la couvée 4-6 1
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Black Swan 130,0 cm
Wandering Albatross 117,0 cm
Envergure
Black Swan 190,0 cm
Wandering Albatross 320,0 cm
Poids
Black Swan 6200,0 g
Wandering Albatross 9000,0 g
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Aucun(e)

Black Swan only

Wandering Albatross only

Black Swan

Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.

Wandering Albatross

Open ocean of the Southern Hemisphere. Breeds on remote sub-Antarctic islands. Spends years at sea between breeding attempts.

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Song & Call Comparison

Black Swan

Chant

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.

Wandering Albatross

Chant

At nesting colonies emits a loud braying 'waaah' and guttural grunts. Silent at sea for most of the year. Courtship involves ritualized mutual bill-clapping and moaning calls.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Black Swan

Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.

Wandering Albatross

Southern Ocean circumpolar, breeding on South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, and other sub-Antarctic islands.

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Black Swan

Vulnerable

Wandering Albatross

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How to Tell Them Apart

Black Swan

Plumage

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.

Bec

Bright red bill with a pale tip and prominent white band

Wandering Albatross

Plumage

Adults are mostly white with black trailing edges to the wings. Juveniles are chocolate brown, whitening progressively over 5-10 years. Pink bill and pale feet.

Bec

Very large pink bill with a hooked tip and visible tubular nostrils

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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.

Wandering Albatross

The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to 3.5 meters. These oceanic nomads can circumnavigate the globe, covering over 120,000 km per year using dynamic soaring with minimal wing flapping. Pairs mate for life and may live over 60 years.

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Related Comparisons

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