Greater White-fronted Goose vs Red-crested Pochard
Anser albifrons compared with Netta rufina
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater White-fronted Goose | Red-crested Pochard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser albifrons | Netta rufina |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 81.6 cm (32.1 in) | 51.7 cm (20.4 in) |
| Weight | 2471.0 g (87.16 oz) | 1087.5 g (38.36 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; diet shifts heavily toward invertebrates in breeding … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 6-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Greater White-fronted Goose only
Red-crested Pochard 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.
Red-crested Pochard
Large freshwater and brackish lakes, reservoirs, river deltas, and coastal lagoons across southern Europe and Central Asia. Winters on large open water bodies in southern Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
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.
Red-crested Pochard
Male emits a harsh, rasping errr note; female gives a loud, quacking series. The raspy male call is distinctive among pochards; alarm is an emphatic, repeated series on Eurasian lakes.
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.
Red-crested Pochard
Conservation Status
Greater White-fronted Goose
Red-crested Pochard
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 …
Red-crested Pochard
Males have rounded orange-rufous head with bright red bill; black breast, neck and undertail; white flanks; brown back. Females dark brown with pale cheeks. Bold white wing stripe in flight. …
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.
Red-crested Pochard
A large handsome diving duck. Males have a magnificent orange-red rounded head, scarlet bill, black breast and rear, and white flanks; females are brown with contrasting pale cheek. Dives and dabbles for aquatic vegetation. Found across southern Eurasia.