Ashy-headed Goose vs African Pygmy-goose
Chloephaga poliocephala compared with Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ashy-headed Goose | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chloephaga poliocephala | Nettapus auritus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 69.1 cm (27.2 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 1779.25 g (62.76 oz) | 272.5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grasses, seeds, and aquatic invertebrates; grazes upland pastures and dabbles in wetlands; diet varies … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Ashy-headed Goose only
African Pygmy-goose 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.
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
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.
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
Ashy-headed Goose
Inhabits wetlands and flooded grasslands across South and Southeast Asia, from India to Indonesia. Largely resident year-round.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Ashy-headed Goose
African Pygmy-goose
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 …
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
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.
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.