Black Swan vs Hawaiian Goose
Cygnus atratus compared with Branta sandvicensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Swan | Hawaiian Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus atratus | Branta sandvicensis |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) | 72.8 cm (28.7 in) |
| Weight | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) | 2150.0 g (75.84 oz) |
| Diet | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 1-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Hawaiian Goose
Volcanic slopes, lava flows, coastal grasslands, and shrublands on Maui, Hawai'i, and Kauai. Adapted to rocky terrain with reduced toe webbing. Introduced to other Hawaiian islands. Avoids dense forest.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Hawaiian Goose
A soft, low 'moo-moo' — the murmuring call gives the Nene its Hawaiian name. Also gives honking calls in flight. Less vocal than Canada Goose; distinctive murmuring quality.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Hawaiian Goose
Conservation Status
Black Swan
Hawaiian Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Hawaiian Goose
Buff-tan neck with black and white channeled furrows. Crown and face black; hindneck black. Body gray-brown above; underparts pale with buff breast. Reduced webbing on feet. Sexes similar. State bird …
About These Birds
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.
Hawaiian Goose
Hawaii's state bird and the world's rarest goose, recovered from near extinction. A medium-sized brownish goose with a black face, pale buff neck with diagonal stripes, and reduced webbing between the toes adapted for walking on lava. Grazes on volcanic slopes and coastal areas.