Greater White-fronted Goose vs Fulvous Whistling-duck
Anser albifrons compared with Dendrocygna bicolor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater White-fronted Goose | Fulvous Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser albifrons | Dendrocygna bicolor |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 81.6 cm (32.1 in) | 44.6 cm (17.6 in) |
| Weight | 2471.0 g (87.16 oz) | 733.4 g (25.87 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; diet shifts heavily toward invertebrates in breeding … | Grazes grasses and sedges in Arctic tundra; large migratory goose; winter diet dominated by agricultural … |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 6-16 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Greater White-fronted Goose only
Fulvous Whistling-duck 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.
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Freshwater marshes, rice paddies, flooded fields, shallow lakes, and river margins across warm tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Africa, and South Asia. Highly nomadic, following rains.
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.
Fulvous Whistling-duck
A soft, rhythmic 'ka-WHEE-00' whistle. Flocks give continuous soft whistling sounds during flight over tropical wetlands. Also gives shorter 'kee' contact notes.
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.
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Breeds across Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe to eastern Siberia; winters from Britain to the Mediterranean and South Asia.
Conservation Status
Greater White-fronted Goose
Fulvous Whistling-duck
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 …
Fulvous Whistling-duck
Warm fulvous-buff underparts with creamy white flank stripes. Upperparts dark brown with pale buff feather edges. Dark brown stripe down back of neck. Long bluish-gray legs. Sexes identical.
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.
Fulvous Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with warm tawny-brown body, dark brown back, creamy-white flank stripes, and a blue-grey bill. Among the most cosmopolitan of all waterfowl, occurring in North and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Highly nomadic, following seasonal rainfall.