Greater White-fronted Goose vs Spectacled Duck
Anser albifrons compared with Speculanas specularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater White-fronted Goose | Spectacled Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser albifrons | Speculanas specularis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 81.6 cm (32.1 in) | 52.4 cm (20.6 in) |
| Weight | 2471.0 g (87.16 oz) | 1248.25 g (44.03 oz) |
| Diet | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; diet shifts heavily toward invertebrates in breeding … | Eats aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow water; diet varies widely between seasons … |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 4-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Greater White-fronted Goose only
Spectacled 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.
Spectacled Duck
Clear fast-flowing rivers and streams in temperate forest from central Chile and adjacent Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego. Requires cold turbulent mountain rivers with riparian forest. Avoids slow or muddy water.
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.
Spectacled Duck
Emits deep, guttural quacking notes; alarm is a loud, repeated honking bark. Calls are resonant and powerful, carrying far along fast-flowing Patagonian rivers.
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.
Spectacled Duck
Breeds in wetlands from Iceland to Siberia; winters in temperate and subtropical Asia, Europe, and North Africa.
Conservation Status
Greater White-fronted Goose
Spectacled 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 …
Spectacled Duck
Dark brown body with fine pale speckling. Distinctive white 'spectacle' rings around eyes. Iridescent greenish-bronze speculum. Underparts pale buff-brown. Bill grayish; legs orange. Andean and Patagonian streams.
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.
Spectacled Duck
A large dark brown duck with distinctive white spectacle-like eye-rings, a pale buff face, and a prominent white speculum. Found in fast-flowing forest rivers of southern South America. Shy and elusive; inhabits clear rushing rivers through temperate forest. Also known as the Bronze-winged Duck.