Greater White-fronted Goose vs Trumpeter Swan
Anser albifrons compared with Cygnus buccinator
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater White-fronted Goose | Trumpeter Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser albifrons | Cygnus buccinator |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 81.6 cm (32.1 in) | 125.1 cm (49.3 in) |
| Weight | 2471.0 g (87.16 oz) | 9975.0 g (351.86 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; diet shifts heavily toward invertebrates in breeding … | Dabbles for seeds, invertebrates, and aquatic plants in shallow water; diet shifts between plant-rich and … |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 1-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Greater White-fronted Goose only
Trumpeter Swan only
None
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.
Trumpeter Swan
Large deep-water lakes, slow rivers, and wetland complexes in western and interior North America from Alaska and Canada south to Oregon. Winters on ice-free rivers and coastal estuaries.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Trumpeter Swan
A deep, resonant, French-horn-like bugling 'oh-OH-oh'. The most musical of North American swans. Pairs sing in duet. Very different from the thin whistle of smaller swans.
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Trumpeter Swan
Breeds in Alaska and northern Canada; winters along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts from the southern United States to Mexico.
Conservation Status
Greater White-fronted Goose
Trumpeter Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
Trumpeter Swan
Entirely snow-white plumage in adults. All-black bill lacking yellow patch. Large size; heaviest North American bird. Neck held straight. Juveniles gray-brown, becoming white by second year. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
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.
Trumpeter Swan
North America's largest native waterfowl and one of the heaviest flying birds, with all-white plumage, a long neck, and all-black bill. Named for its resonant bugling call. Recovered from near extinction in the 20th century through active conservation. Breeds in northern wetlands.