Black-headed Duck vs Southern Pochard
Heteronetta atricapilla comparé à Netta erythrophthalma
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Black-headed Duck | Southern Pochard |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Heteronetta atricapilla | Netta erythrophthalma |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 34,7 cm (13.7 in) | 41,6 cm (16.4 in) |
| Poids | 528,5 g (18.64 oz) | 820,8 g (28.95 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; eats hard-shelled prey; diet shifts with coastal habitat … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2 | 5-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Southern Pochard
Freshwater and brackish lakes, pans, and marshes in sub-Saharan Africa and separately in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. Nomadic in Africa; follows seasonal flooding.
Song & Call Comparison
Black-headed Duck
Male gives a soft, raspy peeping note; female produces a muted quack. An obligate brood parasite with reduced vocalizations; subdued calls suit its secretive lifestyle among Argentine reeds.
Southern Pochard
Male gives a harsh, buzzy churr; female produces a series of resonant quacks. The male's buzzy display call is subdued; the female's loud, emphatic quacking dominates African wetland sounds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-headed Duck
Resident in southern South America from southern Brazil and Bolivia south to Argentina and Chile. Found on lakes and marshes in open lowlands.
Southern Pochard
Breeds across northern North America; winters along both coasts, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean Basin.
Statut de conservation
Black-headed Duck
Southern Pochard
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-headed Duck
Male has distinctive jet-black head and neck, warm chestnut-brown back, and pale buff underparts; blue-grey bill with red base. Female is streaked brown above with pale supercilium and whitish underparts.
Southern Pochard
Males deep brown with iridescent black head and red eye; pale blue-gray bill with dark tip. Females brown with pale face and pale crescent behind eye. White wing stripe in …
About These Birds
Black-headed Duck
A small diving duck (~530 g) of South America, family Anatidae, and the sole member of genus Heteronetta. Inhabits freshwater marshes and lakes in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Unique among waterfowl as an obligate brood parasite, laying eggs in nests of coots and other waterbirds. Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.
Southern Pochard
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a dark chestnut-brown head and body with a white eye-ring and red eye; females are brown with white facial crescent. Found in sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Nomadic in Africa; follows water availability.