Swan:
Swan is a water bird which is large in size with large feet and long necks. Male swans are called cobs and female swans are called pens. Swans are mostly white in color.
Duck:
Duck is the bird with shorter necks and smaller and closely related to swans and geese. A male duck is called drake and baby duck is called duckling. They are migratory.
Differences:
| Basis | Swan | Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Definition (www.oxforddictionaries.com) | A large waterbird with a long flexible neck, short legs, webbed feet, a broad bill, and typically all-white plumage. | A waterbird with a broad blunt bill, short legs, webbed feet, and a waddling gait. |
| Synonyms | Drift, assert, pigeon, goose, rove, roam | Stoop, immerse, submerge, escape, hedge |
| Types | Its types are:
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Its types are:
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| Word origin | The word swan was originated from Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zwaan and German Schwan. The current sense of the verb originated as military slang, referring to the free movement of armoured vehicles. | The word duck was originated from Old English duce, from the Germanic base of duck2 (expressing the notion of ‘diving bird’). |
| Terminology | Small- to large-sized birds with a broad and elongated general body plan. | The overall body plan of ducks is elongated and broad. The body shape of diving ducks is more rounded. |
| Neck | Longest necks as compared to the other two. | Relatively long-necked, albeit not as long-necked as the geese and swans. |
| Nesting | The nest is on the ground near water and about a metre across. Unlike many other ducks and geese the male helps with the nest construction. | Ducks also tend to make a nest before breeding, and after hatching to lead their ducklings to water. |
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