Yellow-billed Duck vs Brent Goose
Anas undulata compared with Branta bernicla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Yellow-billed Duck | Brent Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas undulata | Branta bernicla |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 48.1 cm (18.9 in) | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) |
| Weight | 907.6666666666666 g (32.02 oz) | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for fish, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates; uses serrated bill to grip prey; diet shifts … | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … |
| Clutch Size | 4-12 | 1-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Yellow-billed Duck
Freshwater lakes, rivers, marshes, and dams across eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia and Uganda south to the Cape. Tolerates agricultural impoundments and urban wetlands. Largely sedentary.
Brent Goose
Breeds on high-Arctic tundra; winters on estuaries, coastal mudflats, saltmarshes, and sea-grass beds along Atlantic and Pacific coastlines. One of the most strictly coastal wintering geese.
Song & Call Comparison
Yellow-billed Duck
Female gives a loud, descending quacking series; male utters a soft, raspy rehb note. The female's strong quacking call is the dominant sound at sub-Saharan African wetlands.
Brent Goose
A low, guttural 'rronk' or 'ronk-ronk' from flocks. Soft nasal calls in feeding groups. A subtle, understated call for a goose — less loud than most Anser geese.
Geographic Range & Migration
Yellow-billed Duck
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. Sedentary in freshwater wetlands.
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Conservation Status
Yellow-billed Duck
Brent Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Yellow-billed Duck
Brown body with scaly pale-edged feathers; head brown with paler face and throat. Diagnostic bright yellow bill with black central stripe. Iridescent green-and-black speculum with white borders. Sexes similar.
Brent Goose
Small; mostly black head, neck, and breast. Small white neck-patch on adults. Back dark brownish-gray; belly pale gray to white depending on subspecies. White undertail coverts. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Yellow-billed Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck with a striking bright yellow bill. Common in freshwater wetlands across eastern and southern Africa. Often found in groups near reed beds. Closely related to the Mallard lineage. Common in parks and on large lakes.
Brent Goose
A small dark-bodied goose with a black head and neck, small white neck patches, and pale grey belly. Migrates between high-Arctic breeding grounds and temperate coastal wintering areas. Feeds on eel-grass and saltmarsh vegetation in winter. Three subspecies differ in belly coloration.