Ringed Teal vs African Pygmy-goose
Callonetta leucophrys compared with Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ringed Teal | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Callonetta leucophrys | Nettapus auritus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 345.0 g (12.17 oz) | 272.5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, plant material, and aquatic invertebrates; filter-feeds in shallow water; broadly omnivorous and seasonally … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 6-12 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Ringed Teal
Subtropical forests, gallery woodlands, and wooded wetland margins in Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northeastern Argentina. Nests in tree hollows near water. Requires forested streams and rivers.
African Pygmy-goose
Freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers with floating water lilies and other aquatic vegetation across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Tanzania. Nests in tree cavities near water. Highly dependent on water lily vegetation.
Song & Call Comparison
Ringed Teal
Male utters a soft, high-pitched squeak; female gives a low, grunting kow note. Courtship involves quiet twittering exchanges between pairs in South American gallery forests.
African Pygmy-goose
Male produces a soft, wheezy whistle; female gives a quiet, duck-like quack. Pairs exchange rapid twittering notes during courtship on lily-covered African pools.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ringed Teal
Breeds in the southern Palearctic from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Asia; winters mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Ringed Teal
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Ringed Teal
Males have gray head with black crown; pink breast with black spots; chestnut back; buff-white flanks with fine barring. White facial blaze. Females brown with pale supercilium and white spots …
African Pygmy-goose
Tiny. Males have glossy dark green head with orange facial patch and ear spot; chestnut-orange flanks; white underparts; black and green back. Females duller with dark eye-stripe. Small yellow-green bill.
About These Birds
Ringed Teal
A small ornate teal. Males have a pink-chestnut breast, grey flanks, and grey-brown back with dark green speculum; females are brown with distinctive white eye-ring and spotted flanks. Found in subtropical forests of South America. Nests in tree cavities. Perches and roosts in trees.
African Pygmy-goose
A tiny jewel-like duck—one of Africa's smallest waterfowl. Males have iridescent green-and-white plumage, an orange bill, and a dark green cap; females are mottled brown. Found on lily-covered lakes in sub-Saharan Africa. Perches on water lily pads and feeds on their seeds and flowers.