Green-winged Teal vs Greater White-fronted Goose
Anas carolinensis compared with Anser albifrons
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Green-winged Teal | Greater White-fronted Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas carolinensis | Anser albifrons |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 35.0 cm (13.8 in) | 81.6 cm (32.1 in) |
| Weight | 330.5 g (11.66 oz) | 2471.0 g (87.16 oz) |
| Diet | Eats aquatic invertebrates, molluscs, and seeds; dives in shallow water; diet shifts between invertebrates and … | 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
Green-winged Teal only
None
Greater White-fronted Goose only
Green-winged Teal
Breeds on boreal and subarctic wetlands across North America. Winters on freshwater marshes, coastal estuaries, rice paddies, and shallow wetlands from the southern United States to Central America and the Caribbean.
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
Green-winged Teal
Male produces a high, clear krick call; female gives a subdued quack. Closely related to Common Teal; male's ringing call punctuates North American freshwater marshes in spring.
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
Green-winged Teal
Breeds in Arctic regions; winters at sea across the North Pacific, from Alaska to Japan and northern California.
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
Green-winged Teal
Greater White-fronted Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Green-winged Teal
Males have chestnut head with iridescent green eye patch; gray body; vertical white shoulder stripe (vs. horizontal in Common Teal). Cream and black undertail. Females mottled brown. Smallest North American …
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
Green-winged Teal
A small dabbling duck, the North American counterpart to Common Teal. Males have a rich chestnut head with broad metallic green eye-stripe, finely vermiculated grey body, and a distinctive white vertical breast stripe. One of North America's most abundant ducks.
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.