African Pygmy-goose vs Pink-headed Duck
Nettapus auritus compared with Rhodonessa caryophyllacea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Pygmy-goose | Pink-headed Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nettapus auritus | Rhodonessa caryophyllacea |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) | 50.2 cm (19.8 in) |
| Weight | 272.5 g (9.61 oz) | 963.8 g (34.00 oz) |
| Diet | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … | Probably extinct; fed on fish, molluscs, and aquatic invertebrates in Indian subcontinent wetlands; diet recorded … |
| Clutch Size | 6-12 | 5-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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.
Pink-headed Duck
Historically inhabited secluded freshwater pools, lakes, and marshes in tall grass and forest in the Ganges and Brahmaputra plains of India, Nepal, and Myanmar. Now possibly extinct or extremely rare.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Pink-headed Duck
Critically Endangered; likely gives a soft, resonant quacking note judging from close relatives. The Pink-headed Duck may have produced a distinctive, mellow whistle unlike other pochards.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Pink-headed Duck
Breeds in the northern prairies of Canada and US; winters in the Gulf Coast and along the Atlantic coast south to Florida.
Conservation Status
African Pygmy-goose
Pink-headed Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Pink-headed Duck
Unmistakable; males have strikingly bright pink head and neck contrasting with dark chocolate-brown body and wings. Pink bill. Females have paler pink head. Possibly extinct; last confirmed 1949. Critically endangered …
About These Birds
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.
Pink-headed Duck
Possibly extinct; a distinctive large diving duck formerly found in the Ganges plains of India and Myanmar. Males had a deep pink head and neck contrasting with dark chocolate-brown body. Last confirmed sightings in the 1940s. One of Asia's greatest bird mysteries.