Black-necked Swan vs Spotted Whistling-duck

Cygnus melancoryphus comparé à Dendrocygna guttata

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Black-necked Swan Spotted Whistling-duck
Nom scientifique Cygnus melancoryphus Dendrocygna guttata
Ordre Anseriformes Anseriformes
Famille Anatidae Anatidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 82,4 cm (32.4 in) 41,3 cm (16.3 in)
Poids 5275,0 g (186.07 oz) 677,5 g (23.90 oz)
Régime alimentaire Grazes aquatic plants and dabbles for invertebrates; diet includes seeds, roots, and aquatic invertebrates in … Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to …
Taille de la couvée 4-8 10-11
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Black-necked Swan only

Aucun(e)

Spotted Whistling-duck only

Black-necked Swan

Freshwater lakes, lagoons, rivers, estuaries, and coastal wetlands in southern South America from central Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego. Partially migratory; concentrates at coastal estuaries in winter.

Spotted Whistling-duck

Freshwater wetlands, rice fields, streams, and forest pools in New Guinea, Sulawesi, the Philippines, and Moluccas. Often found near forested rivers and seasonal swamps at low elevations.

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Song & Call Comparison

Black-necked Swan

Chant

A musical, whistling 'whoo' or soft 'whooh'. Less loud than Trumpeter or Whooper Swan. Gives hissing at close range. Considered relatively quiet for a large swan.

Spotted Whistling-duck

Chant

A musical, high whistle similar to other whistling-ducks. Call is softer and less far-carrying than White-faced or Black-bellied species. Given in flight and on water.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Black-necked Swan

Breeds across the northern Great Plains and prairie provinces; winters along the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico.

Spotted Whistling-duck

Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Black-necked Swan

Least Concern

Spotted Whistling-duck

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How to Tell Them Apart

Black-necked Swan

Plumage

White body plumage with entirely black head, neck, and upper foreneck. Red double-lobed knob at bill base. Bill grayish-blue. White stripe behind eye. Pink-red legs. Sexes similar; striking contrast.

Spotted Whistling-duck

Plumage

Dark brown above; head and neck dark brown. Underparts heavily spotted white on dark brown ground, giving spotted appearance. Flanks with bold white spots. Pink-red bill and legs. Sexes similar.

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About These Birds

Black-necked Swan

A large elegant swan with pure white body plumage and a contrasting jet-black neck and head, a red bill with bright red caruncle, and a white stripe behind the eye. Native to southern South America. Unique coloration makes it unmistakable. Feeds on aquatic vegetation by upending.

Spotted Whistling-duck

A small dark brown whistling-duck with bold white spots on its flanks, orange-red bill and legs, and a pale face. Found in tropical wetlands of New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Often found near freshwater streams and flooded grassland. Less gregarious than other whistling-ducks.

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