Greylag Goose vs Mallard
Anser anser compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greylag Goose | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser anser | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 87.1 cm (34.3 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 3297.5 g (116.32 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 3-12 | 4-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Greylag Goose
Breeds on moorland, bogs, freshwater wetlands, and lake margins across Eurasia from Iceland to central Asia. Winters on estuaries, agricultural fields, and wetlands. Feral populations year-round in parks.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Song & Call Comparison
Greylag Goose
A deep, loud 'aahng' honking. The ancestral goose of domesticated geese; its call is the template for the classic 'goose honk'. Flocks are highly vocal in flight.
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Greylag Goose
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Greylag Goose
Mallard
How to Tell Them Apart
Greylag Goose
Large and heavy; uniformly gray-brown with pale feather fringes on back. Head and neck grayish-brown. Orange-pink bill; pink legs. Pale gray forewing conspicuous in flight. Ancestor of domestic geese.
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
About These Birds
Greylag Goose
The ancestor of most domestic geese, with grey-brown plumage, an orange bill, and pale grey forewing visible in flight. Large and boisterous; one of Europe's most familiar geese. Wild birds breed across Eurasia; re-introduced and feral populations now resident in many areas including city parks.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.