Emperor Goose vs Black Swan
Anser canagicus compared with Cygnus atratus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Emperor Goose | Black Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser canagicus | Cygnus atratus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 74.8 cm (29.4 in) | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) |
| Weight | 2300.45 g (81.15 oz) | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) |
| Diet | Grazes aquatic plants and terrestrial grasses; upends in shallow water; winter diet shifts toward grain … | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … |
| Clutch Size | 1-8 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Emperor Goose
Breeds on coastal tundra near the Bering Sea in Alaska and Chukotka. Winters on rocky coastal shorelines, kelp beds, and intertidal flats along the Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula.
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Song & Call Comparison
Emperor Goose
A low, nasal 'clag-clag' call. Less vocal than other Anser geese. Gives contact calls in flocks during Arctic breeding and Pacific coast wintering. Somewhat quiet.
Black Swan
Gives a musical bugling 'boo-boo-boo' in flight and softer honking on water. Less vocal than Mute Swan; produces a baying call when alarmed. Wings whistle softly in flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Emperor Goose
Breeds in the eastern Arctic of Canada; winters along the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Florida and occasionally to Texas.
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Conservation Status
Emperor Goose
Black Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
Emperor Goose
Body plumage blue-gray with black and white feather scalloping. White head and hindneck contrasting with dark throat. Orange-yellow legs. Bill pink-orange. Tail white. Adults striking; sexes similar.
Black Swan
Almost entirely black with white flight feathers visible in flight. Red bill with a white band near the tip. Dark red to reddish-brown iris.
Bright red bill with a pale tip and prominent white band
About These Birds
Emperor Goose
A stocky silvery-grey goose with a white head stained orange-yellow from iron-rich water, black-and-white scaly body, and orange-yellow legs. Breeds on Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim delta; winters along the Aleutian Islands coastline. Strongly tied to coastal habitats year-round.
Black Swan
The black swan was once considered impossible by Europeans who believed all swans were white, making it a famous philosophical example of inductive reasoning failure. It is the state emblem of Western Australia. Black swans form lifelong pair bonds and both parents share in incubation and care of cygnets.