House Sparrow vs Mandarin Duck
Passer domesticus comparé à Aix galericulata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | House Sparrow | Mandarin Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Passer domesticus | Aix galericulata |
| Ordre | Passeriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Passeridae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 16,0 cm (6.3 in) | 44,0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Envergure | 25,0 cm (9.8 in) | 70,0 cm (27.6 in) |
| Poids | 30,0 g (1.06 oz) | 570,0 g (20.11 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Primarily seeds and grains, supplemented with insects during breeding season. Readily exploits human food scraps … | Seeds, acorns, grains, aquatic plants, insects, snails, and small fish. Forages by dabbling, walking, and … |
| Taille de la couvée | 1-8 | 7-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
House Sparrow
Closely associated with human habitation. Found in cities, towns, farms, and any built environment. Rarely found far from people.
Mandarin Duck
Wooded lakes, rivers, and ponds surrounded by dense forest. Unlike most ducks, regularly perches in trees and nests in tree cavities.
Song & Call Comparison
House Sparrow
Monotonous series of chirping 'cheep' and 'chirrup' notes. Male gives 'chilp' song repeatedly. Flocks produce constant chirping chatter. No melodic song; purely functional calls.
Mandarin Duck
Male gives a low whistled 'hib' or 'weep'. Female utters a soft quacking 'kek'. Generally quiet and secretive. No loud territorial song; vocalizations subtle and brief.
Geographic Range & Migration
House Sparrow
Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Introduced to every continent except Antarctica, making it the most widely distributed wild bird.
Mandarin Duck
Native to East Asia including eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea. Feral populations established in Britain and western Europe.
Statut de conservation
House Sparrow
Mandarin Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
House Sparrow
Males have grey crowns, chestnut napes, black bibs, and streaked brown backs. Females and juveniles are plain buffy-brown with a pale eyebrow stripe.
Short, stout, conical bill — black in breeding males, yellowish in non-breeding
Mandarin Duck
Breeding males have an elaborate pattern of orange, green, white, and purple with distinctive orange sail feathers on the back. Females are grey-brown with a white eye-ring and stripe.
Small red bill in breeding males, pinkish in females
About These Birds
House Sparrow
The house sparrow is perhaps the most successful bird in the world at living alongside humans. Introduced to New York in 1851, it spread across North America within decades. Despite its global abundance, house sparrow populations have declined significantly in parts of western Europe.
Mandarin Duck
The mandarin duck is widely considered the most beautiful duck in the world. In East Asian culture, mandarin ducks symbolize love and fidelity because they form strong pair bonds. Unlike most ducks, mandarins nest in tree holes up to 9 meters above the ground, and day-old ducklings must leap to the ground.