Wandering Whistling-duck vs Common Eider
Dendrocygna arcuata comparé à Somateria mollissima
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Wandering Whistling-duck | Common Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Dendrocygna arcuata | Somateria mollissima |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 37,2 cm (14.6 in) | 56,0 cm (22.0 in) |
| Poids | 779,5 g (27.50 oz) | 2042,8333333333333 g (72.06 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Dives for blue mussels, clams, and crustaceans in shallow coastal waters. Swallows shellfish whole and … |
| Taille de la couvée | 6-15 | 2-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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.
Song & Call Comparison
Wandering Whistling-duck
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.
Common Eider
Male produces a loud, resonant ah-WOOO cooing; female gives a deep, guttural quacking series. The male's iconic moaning call echoes across North Atlantic coastlines; a classic seaduck sound.
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.
Common Eider
Breeds on Arctic and subarctic coasts from the North Atlantic to the Pacific. Winters along coasts of northwestern Europe and eastern North America.
Statut de conservation
Wandering Whistling-duck
Common Eider
How to Tell Them Apart
Wandering Whistling-duck
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.
Common Eider
Male is strikingly pied: white back, neck, and breast contrasting with black cap, belly, and flanks; nape washed pale lime-green. Female uniformly barred warm tawny-brown with darker streaks.
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.
Common Eider
The heaviest duck in the Northern Hemisphere (~2 kg), family Anatidae. Breeds colonially on rocky coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and Arctic. Dives for mussels and crustaceans in shallow marine waters. Females line nests with insulating down. Near Threatened due to recent declines in parts of its range from hunting and pollution.