Swan Goose vs African Pygmy-goose
Anser cygnoid verglichen mit Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Swan Goose | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Anser cygnoid | Nettapus auritus |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 84,4 cm (33.2 in) | 29,9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Gewicht | 3343,75 g (117.95 oz) | 272,5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Ernährung | Herbivore; grazes aquatic plants and grasses at wetland margins; takes invertebrates in spring; diet shifts … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Gelegegröße | 4-8 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Swan Goose
Breeds on steppe lakes, rivers, and meadows in Mongolia, Siberia, and northeastern China. Winters in eastern China's Yangtze River floodplain and coastal wetlands. Wild populations critically small.
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
Swan Goose
A deep, resonant 'honk'; less frequently heard than Greylag. The EN status reflects serious population decline; vocalizations are considered similar to Greylag Goose.
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
Swan Goose
Breeds in the tundra and boreal zones of Alaska and Canada; winters on the Pacific coast from British Columbia to California.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Erhaltungsstatus
Swan Goose
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Swan Goose
Long neck with rich chestnut hindneck stripe. Forehead and crown dark brown; face and throat whitish. Upperparts grayish-brown; underparts pale. Long black bill. Pink legs. Ancestor of Chinese domestic geese.
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
Swan Goose
A large long-necked goose with warm brown body, pale underparts, a dark brown cap, and a long straight black bill. The ancestor of the Chinese domestic Swan Goose breed. Wild populations are declining sharply. Breeds in Mongolia and Siberia; winters in eastern China. Endangered in the wild.
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.