White-faced Whistling-duck vs African Pygmy-goose
Dendrocygna viduata مقارنةً بـ Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| السمة | White-faced Whistling-duck | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| الاسم العلمي | Dendrocygna viduata | Nettapus auritus |
| الرتبة | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| الفصيلة | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| حالة الحفاظ | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| الطول | — | — |
| طول الجناح | 42,9 cm (16.9 in) | 29,9 cm (11.8 in) |
| الوزن | 689,5 g (24.32 oz) | 272,5 g (9.61 oz) |
| النظام الغذائي | Grazes subarctic tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal salt marshes eating saltmarsh grasses and … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| عدد البيض في الوضع | 4-16 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
White-faced Whistling-duck
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rice paddies, flooded fields, and slow-moving rivers in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. Tolerates a wide range of modified wetlands. Nomadic, following water availability.
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
White-faced Whistling-duck
A clear, 3-syllable whistle 'wee-wee-WEE' — the origin of 'whistling-duck'. Given in noisy flocks during flight. Also gives a softer 'de-de-de' contact call on water.
African Pygmy-goose
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
White-faced Whistling-duck
Found in floodplains and wetlands of the Llanos in Venezuela and eastern Colombia. Sedentary and locally nomadic in wet savannas.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
حالة الحفاظ
White-faced Whistling-duck
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
White-faced Whistling-duck
Distinctive white face and throat contrasting with black hindneck. Breast chestnut; sides and flanks barred black and white. Back brown. Long gray legs. Sexes identical; upright whistling-duck posture.
African Pygmy-goose
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 These Birds
White-faced Whistling-duck
A tall elegantly built whistling-duck with a conspicuous white face, chestnut body, barred flanks, and a distinctive three-note whistle. Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Forms large noisy flocks at freshwater sites. Highly gregarious; roosts and nests communally.
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.