Yellow-billed Duck vs African Pygmy-goose

Anas undulata مقارنةً بـ Nettapus auritus

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Yellow-billed Duck African Pygmy-goose
الاسم العلمي Anas undulata Nettapus auritus
الرتبة Anseriformes Anseriformes
الفصيلة Anatidae Anatidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول
طول الجناح 48,1 cm (18.9 in) 29,9 cm (11.8 in)
الوزن 907,6666666666666 g (32.02 oz) 272,5 g (9.61 oz)
النظام الغذائي Dives for fish, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates; uses serrated bill to grip prey; diet shifts … Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding …
عدد البيض في الوضع 4-12 6-12
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Yellow-billed Duck only

African Pygmy-goose only

بلا

Yellow-billed Duck

Freshwater lakes, rivers, marshes, and dams across eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia and Uganda south to the Cape. Tolerates agricultural impoundments and urban wetlands. Largely sedentary.

African Pygmy-goose

Freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers with floating water lilies and other aquatic vegetation across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Tanzania. Nests in tree cavities near water. Highly dependent on water lily vegetation.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Yellow-billed Duck

الغناء

Female gives a loud, descending quacking series; male utters a soft, raspy rehb note. The female's strong quacking call is the dominant sound at sub-Saharan African wetlands.

African Pygmy-goose

الغناء

Male produces a soft, wheezy whistle; female gives a quiet, duck-like quack. Pairs exchange rapid twittering notes during courtship on lily-covered African pools.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Yellow-billed Duck

Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. Sedentary in freshwater wetlands.

African Pygmy-goose

Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Yellow-billed Duck

Least Concern

African Pygmy-goose

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Yellow-billed Duck

الريش

Brown body with scaly pale-edged feathers; head brown with paler face and throat. Diagnostic bright yellow bill with black central stripe. Iridescent green-and-black speculum with white borders. Sexes similar.

African Pygmy-goose

الريش

Tiny. Males have glossy dark green head with orange facial patch and ear spot; chestnut-orange flanks; white underparts; black and green back. Females duller with dark eye-stripe. Small yellow-green bill.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Yellow-billed Duck

A large dark brown dabbling duck with a striking bright yellow bill. Common in freshwater wetlands across eastern and southern Africa. Often found in groups near reed beds. Closely related to the Mallard lineage. Common in parks and on large lakes.

African Pygmy-goose

A tiny jewel-like duck—one of Africa's smallest waterfowl. Males have iridescent green-and-white plumage, an orange bill, and a dark green cap; females are mottled brown. Found on lily-covered lakes in sub-Saharan Africa. Perches on water lily pads and feeds on their seeds and flowers.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family