Black-headed Duck vs Australian Shelduck
Heteronetta atricapilla comparé à Tadorna tadornoides
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Black-headed Duck | Australian Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Heteronetta atricapilla | Tadorna tadornoides |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 34,7 cm (13.7 in) | 70,7 cm (27.8 in) |
| Poids | 528,5 g (18.64 oz) | 1424,5 g (50.25 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet … | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material in spring; forages in shallow ponds; diet … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2 | 5-19 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
Black-headed Duck only
Aucun(e)
Australian Shelduck only
Australian Shelduck
Inland salt lakes, ephemeral lakes, estuaries, coastal bays, and agricultural dams in southern Australia from Queensland west to Western Australia. Nests in burrows, hollow logs, and tree cavities.
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.
Australian Shelduck
Male gives a whistling 'zzzeet'; female gives a loud, deep cackling 'uk-uk-uk'. Loud, far-carrying calls from Australian wetlands. Considered one of the noisier shelducks.
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.
Australian Shelduck
Breeds across the Palearctic from Iceland and western Europe east to Siberia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Statut de conservation
Black-headed Duck
Australian Shelduck
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.
Australian Shelduck
Males dark chestnut with black head showing green gloss; white neck collar. White inner wing with iridescent green speculum. Females have white eye-ring and white facial area. Chestnut breast; black …
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.
Australian Shelduck
A large shelduck with a dark bottle-green head, chestnut breast band in females, and dark body with white wing coverts. Common in southern Australia. One of Australia's largest ducks. Gregarious and conspicuous; forms flocks on inland salt lakes and coastal bays.