Spotted Whistling-duck vs Paradise Shelduck

Dendrocygna guttata comparé à Tadorna variegata

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Spotted Whistling-duck Paradise Shelduck
Nom scientifique Dendrocygna guttata Tadorna variegata
Ordre Anseriformes Anseriformes
Famille Anatidae Anatidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 41,3 cm (16.3 in) 70,2 cm (27.6 in)
Poids 677,5 g (23.90 oz) 1569,5 g (55.36 oz)
Régime alimentaire Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … Eats seeds, grasses, and aquatic invertebrates; grazes near water; dabbles in shallows; diet varies with …
Taille de la couvée 10-11 5-15
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Spotted Whistling-duck only

Aucun(e)

Paradise Shelduck 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.

Paradise Shelduck

Open farmland, grassland, lake shores, riverbeds, and wetlands throughout both main islands of New Zealand. Nests in caves, burrows, hollow trees, and dense vegetation. Highly territorial in the breeding season.

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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.

Paradise Shelduck

Chant

Male gives a high-pitched whistle; female gives a loud, harsh cackling call 'rak-rak-rak'. New Zealand's only endemic shelduck; calls echoing in open farmland are distinctive.

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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.

Paradise Shelduck

Breeds in Eurasia from the UK to Siberia; winters across sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Spotted Whistling-duck

Least Concern

Paradise Shelduck

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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.

Paradise Shelduck

Plumage

Extreme dimorphism. Males have black head with green gloss and black-and-chestnut body. Females have pure white head and neck contrasting with rich chestnut-rufous body. Both show white wing patches. New …

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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.

Paradise Shelduck

New Zealand's most colorful duck with strong sexual dimorphism: males have dark greenish-black body; females are strikingly white-headed with chestnut body. Endemic and common. Found across New Zealand's grasslands, farmland, and wetlands. A significant game species traditionally harvested by Māori.

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