Ashy-headed Goose vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Chloephaga poliocephala compared with Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ashy-headed Goose | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chloephaga poliocephala | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 69.1 cm (27.2 in) | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 1779.25 g (62.76 oz) | 779.5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Ashy-headed Goose only
Wandering Whistling-duck only
None
Ashy-headed Goose
Temperate forests, forest clearings, and lake margins in southern Chile and Patagonian Argentina. Partially migratory; breeds in beech forest zones and winters on open grasslands farther north.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.
Song & Call Comparison
Ashy-headed Goose
A whistled 'seeeeu' from males and a lower cackling from females. Ashy-headed Goose calls carry across Andean foothills and Patagonian grassland habitats.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ashy-headed Goose
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Conservation Status
Ashy-headed Goose
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Ashy-headed Goose
Gray head and neck contrast with chestnut breast and rufous-barred flanks. Back brown; belly white. White wing patch in flight with iridescent green speculum. Yellow-orange legs. Sexes similar but females …
Wandering Whistling-duck
Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Ashy-headed Goose
A medium-sized sheldgoose with an ash-grey head, chestnut breast, black-and-white barred back, and bright orange legs. Found in temperate forests and grasslands of southern South America. Migratory; breeds in the south and winters northward through Chile and Argentina.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.