Common Scoter vs Mute Swan
Melanitta nigra comparado com Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Common Scoter | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Nome científico | Melanitta nigra | Cygnus olor |
| Ordem | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Família | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Estado de conservação | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Comprimento | — | 152,0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Envergadura | 44,2 cm (17.4 in) | 235,0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Peso | 1127,25 g (39.76 oz) | 11000,0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Dieta | Dives for bivalves, especially cockles, mussels, and clams, in shallow coastal seas. Also eats crustaceans … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Tamanho da postura | 6-8 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Scoter
Male gives a soft, piping whistle; female produces a harsh, rasping call. The male's piping whistle is subtle; female's harsh calls dominate on European winter coasts and estuaries.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Scoter
Breeds on moorland and boreal tundra from Iceland and Britain east to western Siberia. Winters on northwestern European coasts and the Baltic Sea.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Estado de conservação
Common Scoter
Mute Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Scoter
Male is entirely sooty black without white markings; orange-yellow patch on upper bill with small black knob. Female brownish-black above with contrasting pale cream cheeks and throat.
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
About These Birds
Common Scoter
O pato-negro-europeu é o menor dos patos negros da Europa. Os machos têm plumagem completamente preta com bico com tubérculo e base amarela-laranjada na mandíbula superior. Cria em zonas húmidas da tundra e floresta boreal da Europa e Ásia. Hiberna em grandes bandos em costas marinhas ao longo da Europa ocidental e Ásia. As suas populações estão a ser monitorizadas cuidadosamente, com algumas subpopulações mostrando declínios preocupantes.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.