Northern Pintail vs African Pygmy-goose
Anas acuta compared with Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Northern Pintail | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas acuta | Nettapus auritus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 51.3 cm (20.2 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 912.75 g (32.20 oz) | 272.5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow water; diet dominated by hard-shelled benthic … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 3-12 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Northern Pintail only
African Pygmy-goose only
None
Northern Pintail
Breeds on shallow prairie wetlands, tundra ponds, and arctic meadows. Winters on coastal estuaries, lagoons, rice paddies, and agricultural fields across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Highly migratory.
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
Northern Pintail
Male produces a low, mellow whistle; female gives a hoarse, nasal quack. The male's soft, flute-like call is one of the most distinctive sounds of northern wetlands in spring.
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
Northern Pintail
Breeds in Arctic Canada, Alaska, and Greenland; winters along the coasts of the North Atlantic from Labrador to West Africa.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Northern Pintail
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Northern Pintail
Breeding males have chocolate-brown head; white neck stripe extending to breast; gray flanks with long pointed central tail feathers. Females mottled brown with pointed tail and gray bill. Elegant and …
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
Northern Pintail
A large elegant dabbling duck with a long slender neck. Males have a chocolate-brown head, white underparts and neck stripe, fine grey body, and dramatically long central tail feathers. Highly migratory; one of the world's most abundant ducks. Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions worldwide.
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.