Greylag Goose vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Anser anser verglichen mit Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Greylag Goose | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Anser anser | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 87,1 cm (34.3 in) | 37,2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Gewicht | 3297,5 g (116.32 oz) | 779,5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Ernährung | -- | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Gelegegröße | 3-12 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Gemeinsame Lebensräume
Greylag Goose only
Wandering Whistling-duck only
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Greylag Goose
Breeds on moorland, bogs, freshwater wetlands, and lake margins across Eurasia from Iceland to central Asia. Winters on estuaries, agricultural fields, and wetlands. Feral populations year-round in parks.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Tropical freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and lake margins from the Philippines and Indonesia through Papua New Guinea to northern and eastern Australia. Nomadic following wet season flooding.
Song & Call Comparison
Greylag Goose
A deep, loud 'aahng' honking. The ancestral goose of domesticated geese; its call is the template for the classic 'goose honk'. Flocks are highly vocal in flight.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A soft whistle 'whi-whi-whi' in flight. Less vocal than other whistling-ducks; flocks tend to be quieter. Given at dawn and dusk during flight to roosting or feeding areas.
Geographic Range & Migration
Greylag Goose
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Erhaltungsstatus
Greylag Goose
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Greylag Goose
Large and heavy; uniformly gray-brown with pale feather fringes on back. Head and neck grayish-brown. Orange-pink bill; pink legs. Pale gray forewing conspicuous in flight. Ancestor of domestic geese.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Rich chestnut-brown head and neck; dark brown back. Flanks rufous with pale buff streaks and dark spots. Belly blackish. Long, dark pinkish legs. Upright posture typical of whistling-ducks. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Greylag Goose
The ancestor of most domestic geese, with grey-brown plumage, an orange bill, and pale grey forewing visible in flight. Large and boisterous; one of Europe's most familiar geese. Wild birds breed across Eurasia; re-introduced and feral populations now resident in many areas including city parks.
Wandering Whistling-duck
A medium-sized whistling-duck with rufous-brown body, dark brown back, pale buff underparts, and a chestnut collar. Found in tropical wetlands from Indonesia to Australia and Pacific islands. Highly social and nomadic. Forages by dabbling and diving in shallow freshwater.