Greater White-fronted Goose vs Common Scoter
Anser albifrons compared with Melanitta nigra
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater White-fronted Goose | Common Scoter |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser albifrons | Melanitta nigra |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 81.6 cm (32.1 in) | 44.2 cm (17.4 in) |
| Weight | 2471.0 g (87.16 oz) | 1127.25 g (39.76 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; diet shifts heavily toward invertebrates in breeding … | Dives for bivalves, especially cockles, mussels, and clams, in shallow coastal seas. Also eats crustaceans … |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 6-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Greater White-fronted Goose only
None
Common Scoter 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.
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.
Common Scoter
Male gives a soft, piping whistle; female produces a harsh, rasping call. The male's piping whistle is subtle; female's harsh calls dominate on European winter coasts and estuaries.
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.
Common Scoter
Breeds on moorland and boreal tundra from Iceland and Britain east to western Siberia. Winters on northwestern European coasts and the Baltic Sea.
Conservation Status
Greater White-fronted Goose
Common Scoter
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 …
Common Scoter
Male is entirely sooty black without white markings; orange-yellow patch on upper bill with small black knob. Female brownish-black above with contrasting pale cream cheeks and throat.
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.
Common Scoter
A medium-sized sea duck (~1.1 kg) in family Anatidae, males entirely black with a knobbed yellow bill. Breeds on moorland lakes in northern Europe and western Siberia; winters in large flocks on shallow coastal seas. Dives for bivalves and crustaceans. Least Concern; monitored due to sensitivity to offshore energy development and oil spills.