Black Swan vs Cotton Pygmy-goose
Cygnus atratus compared with Nettapus coromandelianus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Swan | Cotton Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus atratus | Nettapus coromandelianus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) | 31.7 cm (12.5 in) |
| Weight | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) | 343.5 g (12.12 oz) |
| Diet | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … | Feeds on aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; dabbles in shallow water; invertebrate diet peaks … |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 6-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Cotton Pygmy-goose
Freshwater lakes, ponds, slow rivers, and rice paddies with aquatic vegetation from India east through Southeast Asia, China, and New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nests in tree holes near water.
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.
Cotton Pygmy-goose
Male emits a rapid, clucking chatter resembling a toy rattle; female responds with soft, muffled quacks. In flight both sexes produce a distinctive whistling wing-beat.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Cotton Pygmy-goose
Breeds in northern Eurasia; winters in the tropics of Africa and Asia. Migratory; routes cross through the Middle East.
Conservation Status
Black Swan
Cotton Pygmy-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
Cotton Pygmy-goose
Males white below and white-faced with dark green crown and collar; black back with iridescent green gloss; white wing bar conspicuous in flight. Females brown-gray with pale supercilium. Tiny; perches …
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.
Cotton Pygmy-goose
A tiny duck with males having striking white head and underparts, black back, and green iridescence on the crown. Found from India to Australia. Perches on aquatic vegetation and nests in tree hollows. Feeds on water lily seeds and aquatic plants. One of the world's smallest ducks.