Pacific Black Duck vs African Pygmy-goose
Anas superciliosa compared with Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pacific Black Duck | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas superciliosa | Nettapus auritus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 50.2 cm (19.8 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 1000.5 g (35.29 oz) | 272.5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for fish and aquatic invertebrates; serrated bill adapted for gripping prey; diet varies with … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 3-15 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Pacific Black Duck
Freshwater and brackish wetlands across Australasia and the Pacific Islands, from freshwater lakes and rivers to coastal estuaries, mangroves, and irrigated agricultural areas. Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes.
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
Pacific Black Duck
Female gives a loud, emphatic quacking series; male utters a soft quip note. Common call is a loud, repeated quack; alarm is an insistent, rattling quacking burst.
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
Pacific Black Duck
Found across sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar; locally sedentary in freshwater lakes and rivers year-round.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Pacific Black Duck
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Pacific Black Duck
Brownish-black body with pale buff feather edges giving scaly appearance. Bold pale buff supercilium and dark eye-stripe and crown stripe on paler face. Iridescent green speculum. Gray bill; orange legs. …
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
Pacific Black Duck
A large brown dabbling duck with a distinctive bold head pattern: dark crown, buff cheeks with two dark stripes, and a green speculum. The Mallard equivalent in Australasia. Widespread and common in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and Pacific islands. Very tolerant of human presence.
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.