Spotted Whistling-duck vs Pink-eared Duck

Dendrocygna guttata comparé à Malacorhynchus membranaceus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Spotted Whistling-duck Pink-eared Duck
Nom scientifique Dendrocygna guttata Malacorhynchus membranaceus
Ordre Anseriformes Anseriformes
Famille Anatidae Anatidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 41,3 cm (16.3 in) 36,7 cm (14.4 in)
Poids 677,5 g (23.90 oz) 366,25 g (12.92 oz)
Régime alimentaire Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … Highly specialized filter-feeder; spatulate bill strains algae and zooplankton from turbid Australian floodwaters; tracks inland …
Taille de la couvée 10-11 6-8
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Spotted Whistling-duck only

Pink-eared Duck only

Aucun(e)

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.

Pink-eared Duck

Ephemeral and permanent inland wetlands, flooded grasslands, and claypans across Australia. Highly nomadic, following unpredictable inland flooding. Most common in the Murray-Darling Basin in flood years.

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Song & Call Comparison

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.

Pink-eared Duck

Chant

A soft, high-pitched rattling 'zarr-zarr' or reedy whistle. Considered a quiet duck. Calls while feeding in shallow Australian wetlands and flooded grasslands.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Spotted Whistling-duck

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

Pink-eared Duck

Breeds across Eurasia; winters across sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most widespread Palearctic–African long-distance migrants.

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Spotted Whistling-duck

Least Concern

Pink-eared Duck

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How to Tell Them Apart

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.

Pink-eared Duck

Plumage

Pale gray-brown body with bold dark brown barring on flanks. Brown-streaked crown; white face with brown eye-patch. Tiny pink ear-spot behind eye. Wide gray spatulate bill. Striped flanks diagnostic. Sexes …

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About These Birds

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.

Pink-eared Duck

A small highly specialized duck with a large spatula-shaped bill for filter-feeding, grey-brown plumage with bold facial stripe, and a tiny pink patch behind the eye. Endemic to Australia. Highly nomadic; follows inland flooding. Expert filter-feeder on microscopic algae and invertebrates.

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