Upland Goose vs Blue-billed Teal
Chloephaga picta compared with Spatula hottentota
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Upland Goose | Blue-billed Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chloephaga picta | Spatula hottentota |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 82.4 cm (32.4 in) | 29.4 cm (11.6 in) |
| Weight | 2916.0 g (102.86 oz) | 269.2 g (9.50 oz) |
| Diet | Grazes grasses and sedges; dabbles for aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts between plant-heavy and invertebrate-heavy phases. | Feeds on seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; filter-feeds in shallow water; broadly omnivorous and seasonally … |
| Clutch Size | 5-8 | 5-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Upland Goose
Open Patagonian grasslands, steppe, and agricultural pastures in southern Chile and Argentina, including the Falkland Islands. Grazes on short grass. Males aggressively defend territories. Partially migratory.
Blue-billed Teal
Freshwater lakes, marshes, pans, and flooded grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and Sudan south to the Cape. Nomadic; follows seasonal rains. Common but easily overlooked among reed beds.
Song & Call Comparison
Upland Goose
Male gives a high, whistled 'whew'; female gives a low, rolling cackle 'ga-ga-ga'. Sexual differences in call are pronounced. Falklands and Patagonian populations highly vocal.
Blue-billed Teal
Male utters a soft, teal-like peep; female gives a muted quack. Pairs call quietly in dense papyrus; soft contact calls help birds maintain proximity in thick African marsh vegetation.
Geographic Range & Migration
Upland Goose
Endemic to New Caledonia and its surrounding islands. Confined to dense rainforest; non-migratory and terrestrial year-round.
Blue-billed Teal
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic Eurasia; winters at sea in the North Atlantic and from western Europe to eastern Africa.
Conservation Status
Upland Goose
Blue-billed Teal
How to Tell Them Apart
Upland Goose
Pronounced dimorphism. Males white with black-barred flanks and white wings with black primaries. Females rufous-brown with black-barred flanks and white belly. Both sexes yellow-orange legs. Grassland species.
Blue-billed Teal
Small; males have pale blue-gray bill contrasting with brown-gray body. Head finely spotted; underparts barred brown and white. Males show powder-blue forewing in flight. Females browner. African marsh species.
About These Birds
Upland Goose
A large sheldgoose with strong sexual dimorphism: males are white with black back barring; females are warm brown with barred flanks. Common in Patagonian and Falkland Islands grasslands. Gregarious; forms large flocks outside breeding season. Grazes on short grass and agricultural land.
Blue-billed Teal
A small dark teal with blue-grey bill and legs, brown-streaked plumage, and fine pale spotting on the flanks. The most widespread teal in sub-Saharan Africa. Found on freshwater lakes and marshes. Highly nomadic; follows seasonal rainfall. Swims low in the water like a pochard.