Bar-headed Goose vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Anser indicus compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bar-headed Goose | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser indicus | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 87.6 cm (34.5 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 2288.0 g (80.71 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | Eats aquatic plants, grasses, and roots; filters invertebrates during breeding; forms large flocks on shallow … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Bar-headed Goose only
Wandering Whistling-duck only
None
Bar-headed Goose
Breeds on high-altitude lakes and rivers at 4,000–5,000 m in Central Asia (Tibet, Mongolia, Ladakh). Migrates over the Himalayas. Winters on rivers, lakes, and agricultural fields in the Indian subcontinent.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.
Song & Call Comparison
Bar-headed Goose
A nasal, goose-like honking 'wang-wang-wang'. Flocks give persistent calling during high-altitude Himalayan migration — among the highest migrations of any bird species.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bar-headed Goose
Breeds in high Arctic of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska; winters on rocky coasts of eastern North America and western Europe.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Conservation Status
Bar-headed Goose
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Bar-headed Goose
White head with two distinctive black bars across crown. Yellow-orange bill and legs. Back and wings pale gray; underparts white. Black-tipped primaries. Sexes similar; famed for Himalayan migration.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Bar-headed Goose
Famous as one of the world's highest-flying birds, crossing the Himalayas at altitudes exceeding 7,000 m during migration. Medium-sized, pale grey with two distinctive black bars on the white head. Breeds on high-altitude lakes; winters in South Asian wetlands. Specialized haemoglobin enables high-altitude flight.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.