Fulvous Whistling-Duck vs Upland Sandpiper
Dendrocygna bicolor versus Bartramia longicauda
Play a quiz with Fulvous Whistling-Duck and Upland Sandpiper
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Upland Sandpiper
In short
The Fulvous Whistling-Duck and Upland Sandpiper are distinct in both appearance and habitat preferences. The Fulvous Whistling-Duck is a waterfowl with a warm brown plumage and is often found in flooded fields, while the Upland Sandpiper is a slender shorebird with a more muted coloration, frequenting open grasslands.
Identification tips
1. Location: Check the habitat; Fulvous Whistling-Ducks are in wetlands, Upland Sandpipers in grasslands. 2. Shape and Size: Fulvous Whistling-Ducks are bulkier; Upland Sandpipers are slender. 3. Plumage: Look for the warm brown tones of the duck versus the mottled, muted tones of the sandpiper. 4. Calls: Listen for the duck's raspy call versus the sandpiper's whistled call.
Size
The Fulvous Whistling-Duck is larger and bulkier than the Upland Sandpiper, which is more slender and elongated.
Plumage
Fulvous Whistling-Ducks have a rich, warm brown plumage with a distinctive buffy face and underparts, while Upland Sandpipers are more subtly colored with a mottled brown and buff appearance, lacking the warm tones of the duck.
Behaviour
Fulvous Whistling-Ducks are often seen in groups in wetland areas, whereas Upland Sandpipers are typically solitary or in small groups in open grasslands.
Habitat
Fulvous Whistling-Ducks prefer flooded rice fields and wetlands, while Upland Sandpipers are found in open grasslands, including airfields and tundra.
Voice
The Fulvous Whistling-Duck has a raspy, two-noted call often heard at night, whereas the Upland Sandpiper's call is a distinctive, long, whistled 'wolf whistle'.