Brent Goose vs Pink-eared Duck
Branta bernicla compared with Malacorhynchus membranaceus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brent Goose | Pink-eared Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Branta bernicla | Malacorhynchus membranaceus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) | 36.7 cm (14.4 in) |
| Weight | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) | 366.25 g (12.92 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … | Highly specialized filter-feeder; spatulate bill strains algae and zooplankton from turbid Australian floodwaters; tracks inland … |
| Clutch Size | 1-10 | 6-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Brent Goose
Breeds on high-Arctic tundra; winters on estuaries, coastal mudflats, saltmarshes, and sea-grass beds along Atlantic and Pacific coastlines. One of the most strictly coastal wintering geese.
Pink-eared Duck
Ephemeral and permanent inland wetlands, flooded grasslands, and claypans across Australia. Highly nomadic, following unpredictable inland flooding. Most common in the Murray-Darling Basin in flood years.
Song & Call Comparison
Brent Goose
A low, guttural 'rronk' or 'ronk-ronk' from flocks. Soft nasal calls in feeding groups. A subtle, understated call for a goose — less loud than most Anser geese.
Pink-eared Duck
A soft, high-pitched rattling 'zarr-zarr' or reedy whistle. Considered a quiet duck. Calls while feeding in shallow Australian wetlands and flooded grasslands.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Pink-eared Duck
Breeds across Eurasia; winters across sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most widespread Palearctic–African long-distance migrants.
Conservation Status
Brent Goose
Pink-eared Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Brent Goose
Small; mostly black head, neck, and breast. Small white neck-patch on adults. Back dark brownish-gray; belly pale gray to white depending on subspecies. White undertail coverts. Sexes similar.
Pink-eared Duck
Pale gray-brown body with bold dark brown barring on flanks. Brown-streaked crown; white face with brown eye-patch. Tiny pink ear-spot behind eye. Wide gray spatulate bill. Striped flanks diagnostic. Sexes …
About These Birds
Brent Goose
A small dark-bodied goose with a black head and neck, small white neck patches, and pale grey belly. Migrates between high-Arctic breeding grounds and temperate coastal wintering areas. Feeds on eel-grass and saltmarsh vegetation in winter. Three subspecies differ in belly coloration.
Pink-eared Duck
A small highly specialized duck with a large spatula-shaped bill for filter-feeding, grey-brown plumage with bold facial stripe, and a tiny pink patch behind the eye. Endemic to Australia. Highly nomadic; follows inland flooding. Expert filter-feeder on microscopic algae and invertebrates.