Mallard vs Green Pygmy-goose
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Nettapus pulchellus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Green Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Nettapus pulchellus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 33.8 cm (13.3 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 328.75 g (11.60 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles in shallow fresh water; diet varies between seasons … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 8-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Green Pygmy-goose
Lily-covered tropical freshwater billabongs, lagoons, and seasonal floodplains in New Guinea and the tropical Top End of the Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia. Highly dependent on aquatic vegetation.
Song & Call Comparison
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Green Pygmy-goose
Male gives a high-pitched, melodic two-note whistle; female produces a quiet, nasal grunt. Courtship includes rapid chattering exchanges between paired birds on tropical lagoons.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Green Pygmy-goose
Breeds across northern and central Eurasia; winters in tropical Africa and South Asia.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Green Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
Green Pygmy-goose
Males have dark green head and neck with white cheek patch; dark back; white underparts; flanks gray-green with fine barring. Females duller with brown cap and white face. White wing …
About These Birds
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.
Green Pygmy-goose
A tiny dark-green duck with pale spotted underparts, a dark cap, and a short stout bill. Endemic to New Guinea and northern Australia. Found on water-lily-covered billabongs and lakes. Feeds by snatching seeds and petals of aquatic plants from the surface.