Greater White-fronted Goose vs Blue-winged Teal
Anser albifrons compared with Spatula discors
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater White-fronted Goose | Blue-winged Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser albifrons | Spatula discors |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 81.6 cm (32.1 in) | 35.7 cm (14.1 in) |
| Weight | 2471.0 g (87.16 oz) | 400.5 g (14.13 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; diet shifts heavily toward invertebrates in breeding … | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates and seeds; diet shifts between plant-heavy and invertebrate-heavy phases seasonally. |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Greater White-fronted Goose only
None
Blue-winged Teal only
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.
Blue-winged Teal
Breeds on prairie wetlands, lakes, and marshes across North America. Winters on freshwater and coastal wetlands from the southern United States through Central America to South America.
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.
Blue-winged Teal
Male gives a high, thin whistle; female produces a rapid, descending quacking laugh. The nasal, laughing female call is immediately recognizable in North American freshwater marshes.
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.
Blue-winged Teal
Breeds in tundra of northern Russia and Alaska; winters on the open North Pacific from Alaska to Japan and California.
Conservation Status
Greater White-fronted Goose
Blue-winged Teal
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 …
Blue-winged Teal
Males have slate-blue head with bold white crescent before eye. Body brown with dark spots. Pale blue forewing patch and green speculum conspicuous. Females mottled brown with pale loral spot. …
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.
Blue-winged Teal
A small brown teal. Males have a slate-grey head with a large white crescent before the eye and a striking pale blue-grey wing patch visible in flight. One of North America's most abundant ducks. Long-distance migrant; winters from the southern United States to South America.