Wandering Whistling-duck vs Spotted Whistling-duck

Dendrocygna arcuata comparé à Dendrocygna guttata

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Wandering Whistling-duck Spotted Whistling-duck
Nom scientifique Dendrocygna arcuata Dendrocygna guttata
Ordre Anseriformes Anseriformes
Famille Anatidae Anatidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 37,2 cm (14.6 in) 41,3 cm (16.3 in)
Poids 779,5 g (27.50 oz) 677,5 g (23.90 oz)
Régime alimentaire Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to …
Taille de la couvée 6-15 10-11
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Wandering Whistling-duck only

Aucun(e)

Spotted Whistling-duck only

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.

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

Wandering Whistling-duck

Chant

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.

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

Wandering Whistling-duck

Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.

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

Wandering Whistling-duck

Least Concern

Spotted Whistling-duck

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How to Tell Them Apart

Wandering Whistling-duck

Plumage

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.

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

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.

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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