Snow Goose vs Wandering Whistling-duck
Anser caerulescens verglichen mit Dendrocygna arcuata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Snow Goose | Wandering Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Anser caerulescens | Dendrocygna arcuata |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 82,4 cm (32.4 in) | 37,2 cm (14.6 in) |
| Gewicht | 2561,0 g (90.34 oz) | 779,5 g (27.50 oz) |
| Ernährung | Grazes submerged aquatic vegetation and eelgrass in estuaries; also takes grasses and sedges on coastal … | Eats grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants in tundra; winter diet of coastal salt marsh grasses … |
| Gelegegröße | 2-6 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Gemeinsame Lebensräume
Snow Goose only
Wandering Whistling-duck only
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Snow Goose
Breeds on coastal and inland Arctic tundra in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. Winters on agricultural fields, marshes, and coastal wetlands across the United States and northern Mexico. Forms enormous flocks.
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
Snow Goose
A loud, nasal barking 'luk-luk' or 'kow-kow'. Large flocks create enormous noise during Arctic nesting and winter staging. Considered a noisy, conspicuous goose.
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
Snow Goose
Breeds in eastern North America's boreal forest; winters on the Atlantic coast from New England to South Carolina.
Wandering Whistling-duck
Breeds in Arctic and subarctic regions; winters at sea around the Antarctic pack ice, one of the longest migrations known.
Erhaltungsstatus
Snow Goose
Wandering Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Snow Goose
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
Snow Goose
A distinctive goose with two morphs—white with black wingtips, or 'blue morph' with dark body and white head. Large flocks create spectacular migration events. Breeds in the Arctic; winters in the United States and Mexico. Population growth has caused severe overgrazing of Arctic salt marshes.
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.