African Pygmy-goose vs Common Eider
Nettapus auritus compared with Somateria mollissima
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Pygmy-goose | Common Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nettapus auritus | Somateria mollissima |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) |
| Weight | 272.5 g (9.61 oz) | 2042.8333333333333 g (72.06 oz) |
| Diet | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … | Dives for blue mussels, clams, and crustaceans in shallow coastal waters. Swallows shellfish whole and … |
| Clutch Size | 6-12 | 2-7 |
| 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.
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.
Common Eider
Male produces a loud, resonant ah-WOOO cooing; female gives a deep, guttural quacking series. The male's iconic moaning call echoes across North Atlantic coastlines; a classic seaduck sound.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Common Eider
Breeds on Arctic and subarctic coasts from the North Atlantic to the Pacific. Winters along coasts of northwestern Europe and eastern North America.
Conservation Status
African Pygmy-goose
Common Eider
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.
Common Eider
Male is strikingly pied: white back, neck, and breast contrasting with black cap, belly, and flanks; nape washed pale lime-green. Female uniformly barred warm tawny-brown with darker streaks.
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.
Common Eider
The heaviest duck in the Northern Hemisphere (~2 kg), family Anatidae. Breeds colonially on rocky coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and Arctic. Dives for mussels and crustaceans in shallow marine waters. Females line nests with insulating down. Near Threatened due to recent declines in parts of its range from hunting and pollution.