Mallard vs Lake Duck
Anas platyrhynchos comparé à Oxyura vittata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Mallard | Lake Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Anas platyrhynchos | Oxyura vittata |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 58,0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Envergure | 90,0 cm (35.4 in) | 27,6 cm (10.9 in) |
| Poids | 1100,0 g (38.80 oz) | 665,0 g (23.46 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Dives for aquatic invertebrates and plant seeds in South American freshwater lakes and marshes. Feeds … |
| Taille de la couvée | 4-18 | 3-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Lake Duck
Male produces a mechanical, drumming staccato call; female gives a soft, nasal quack. Drumming display resembles other Oxyura stiff-tails; heard at dawn on Andean and Patagonian lakes.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Lake Duck
Resident in southern South America from central Chile and central Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego. Found on lowland lakes and lagoons.
Statut de conservation
Mallard
Lake Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
Lake Duck
Male is dark chestnut-brown with black head, pale whitish-grey cheeks, and cobalt-blue bill. Female is brownish-buff with streaked upperparts and a distinctive pale supercilium; undertail coverts whitish.
About These Birds
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.
Lake Duck
A stiff-tailed duck (~665 g) of southern South America, family Anatidae, with males displaying ruddy plumage and a bright blue bill. Inhabits freshwater lakes, ponds, and marshes from Brazil to Patagonia. Dives for aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates. Least Concern; notable for the proportionally longest penis of any vertebrate relative to body size.