Wandering Whistling-duck vs Ruddy Shelduck
Dendrocygna arcuata comparé à Tadorna ferruginea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Wandering Whistling-duck | Ruddy Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Dendrocygna arcuata | Tadorna ferruginea |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 37,2 cm (14.6 in) | 71,1 cm (28.0 in) |
| Poids | 779,5 g (27.50 oz) | 1318,3333333333333 g (46.50 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … | Feeds on seeds, plant material, and aquatic invertebrates; dabbles in wetlands; diet varies between seasons … |
| Taille de la couvée | 6-15 | 8-16 |
| 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.
Ruddy Shelduck
Steppe lakes, river valleys, inland saline and freshwater wetlands from southeastern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia to China and Mongolia. Winters on lakes and rivers in South and Southeast Asia.
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.
Ruddy Shelduck
A loud, resonant bugling 'aakh' from males; females give a rapid cackling 'kak-kak-kak'. Call carries far across open Asian steppe and river valleys.
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.
Ruddy Shelduck
Breeds in wetlands across Eurasia; winters from sub-Saharan Africa to South and Southeast Asia. Broad wintering distribution.
Statut de conservation
Wandering Whistling-duck
Ruddy Shelduck
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.
Ruddy Shelduck
Warm orange-rufous overall plumage; paler buffy head. Males have narrow black neck collar in breeding season. Black tail and primaries. White wing coverts and iridescent green speculum visible in flight. …
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.
Ruddy Shelduck
A large orange-brown shelduck with a pale buff head, black neck ring (male only), white wing patches, and bright green speculum. Widespread from Morocco and southeastern Europe east to China. Sacred to Buddhists in Tibet. Nests in burrows, rock crevices, and ruins.