Rosy-billed Pochard vs African Pygmy-goose
Netta peposaca compared with Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rosy-billed Pochard | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Netta peposaca | Nettapus auritus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 46.1 cm (18.1 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 1103.4 g (38.92 oz) | 272.5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal water; diet dominated by invertebrates. | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Clutch Size | 10 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Rosy-billed Pochard
Freshwater lakes, marshes, and lagoons in southern South America from central Brazil through Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina to Patagonia. Often on large open lakes. Partially migratory; moves northward in winter.
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
Rosy-billed Pochard
Male gives a deep, burping boom; female produces a loud, grunting quack. The male's resonant booming call during display is among the most powerful calls of South American wildfowl.
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
Rosy-billed Pochard
Breeds in northern prairies; winters on interior wetlands and coasts from the southern US to Central America.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Rosy-billed Pochard
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Rosy-billed Pochard
Males dark sooty-black with iridescent purple gloss on head; bright rosy-red bill with pink knob. White flanks visible when at rest. Females brown with pale face and gray bill. Bold …
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
Rosy-billed Pochard
A large striking pochard. Males are black-and-grey with an unmistakable bulging bright red bill knob; females are brown. Found in freshwater lakes of southern South America. Common in the Pampas and Patagonia. Often dives to the lake bottom for aquatic plants.
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.