Reunion Shelduck vs Greater White-fronted Goose
Alopochen kervazoi compared with Anser albifrons
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Reunion Shelduck | Greater White-fronted Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Alopochen kervazoi | Anser albifrons |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Extinct | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 81.6 cm (32.1 in) |
| Weight | — | 2471.0 g (87.16 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; diet shifts heavily toward invertebrates in breeding … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Reunion Shelduck only
None
Greater White-fronted Goose only
Reunion Shelduck
Historically restricted to Réunion Island in the Mascarene archipelago. Now extinct; last evidence from early colonial period. Presumably inhabited freshwater wetland habitats on the island.
Greater White-fronted Goose
Breeds on Arctic and subarctic tundra and peatlands. Winters on estuaries, agricultural fields, freshwater marshes, and flooded meadows across Europe, Asia, and North America. One of the most widespread geese.
Song & Call Comparison
Reunion Shelduck
Extinct (EX); no vocalizations recorded. The Reunion Shelduck was exterminated soon after European contact. No contemporary accounts of its call survive in the historical record.
Greater White-fronted Goose
A loud, laughing 'kow-lyuk' or musical 'wah-wah'. Gives a distinctive high-pitched yodeling quality lacking in Greylag. Highly vocal in large winter flocks.
Geographic Range & Migration
Reunion Shelduck
Greater White-fronted Goose
Breeds in the potholes region of the northern Great Plains; winters in the southern United States and along the Gulf Coast.
Conservation Status
Reunion Shelduck
Greater White-fronted Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Reunion Shelduck
Extinct Mascarene species known only from subfossil bones found on Réunion. Plumage unrecorded; presumed similar to Egyptian Goose with brownish-gray tones. Extirpated following European colonization.
Greater White-fronted Goose
Brown-gray body with white forehead patch bordered by white band at bill base. Underparts with bold irregular black bars on belly. Orange bill; orange-yellow legs. Juveniles lack white front and …
About These Birds
Reunion Shelduck
An extinct shelduck formerly endemic to Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. Known only from subfossil bones and brief historical records from the 17th century. Went extinct shortly after European colonization. No illustrations or detailed physical description of the living bird is known.
Greater White-fronted Goose
A medium-large goose with a white forehead patch, orange bill, grey-brown plumage, and variable black barring on the belly. Widespread and numerous; one of the most abundant geese in the world. Breeds across the high Arctic; winters in a wide range of temperate wetland and agricultural habitats.