Black-headed Duck vs West Indian Whistling Duck

Black-headed Duck

Heteronetta atricapilla

Large538 gWetland

The black-headed duck is the most basal living member of its subfamily, and it lacks the stiff tail and swollen bill of its relatives. Overall much resembling a fairly typical diving duck, its plumage and other peculiarities indicate it may not be a very close relative of the other stiff-tailed ducks, but rather the product of convergent evolution from the ancestors of the stiff-tailed ducks. The black-headed duck is about 35 cm (14 in) long. Males weigh an average of about 510 g (18 oz) and females 565 g (20 oz). Voice: The black-headed duck is usually silent. It does give a low "quah quah" as part of a courtship display, and also "a two note grunt followed by a whistle: – gr-rump-freet." Females make "clucking notes."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Hugo Hulsberg · CC0

West Indian Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna arborea

Large1.1 kgForest

The West Indian whistling duck is the largest and darkest of the whistling ducks with a length of 48 to 58 cm (19 to 23 in). The female weighs from 800 to 1,320 g (1.76 to 2.91 lb) and the male weighs from 760 to 1,240 g (1.68 to 2.73 lb); this species is about the size of a mallard. It has a long black bill, long head and longish legs. It has a pale foreneck and light brown face. The crown, back, breast and wings are dark brown to black, and the rest of the underparts are white with heavy black markings.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-headed Duck and West Indian Whistling Duck.