Bar-headed Goose vs Spotted Whistling-duck
Anser indicus verglichen mit Dendrocygna guttata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Bar-headed Goose | Spotted Whistling-duck |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Anser indicus | Dendrocygna guttata |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 87,6 cm (34.5 in) | 41,3 cm (16.3 in) |
| Gewicht | 2288,0 g (80.71 oz) | 677,5 g (23.90 oz) |
| Ernährung | Eats aquatic plants, grasses, and roots; filters invertebrates during breeding; forms large flocks on shallow … | Primarily herbivorous; grazes tundra grasses and sedges; winters on coastal marshes and farmland, switching to … |
| Gelegegröße | 3-8 | 10-11 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Gemeinsame Lebensräume
Bar-headed Goose only
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Spotted Whistling-duck only
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Bar-headed Goose
Breeds on high-altitude lakes and rivers at 4,000–5,000 m in Central Asia (Tibet, Mongolia, Ladakh). Migrates over the Himalayas. Winters on rivers, lakes, and agricultural fields in the Indian subcontinent.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Freshwater wetlands, rice fields, streams, and forest pools in New Guinea, Sulawesi, the Philippines, and Moluccas. Often found near forested rivers and seasonal swamps at low elevations.
Song & Call Comparison
Bar-headed Goose
A nasal, goose-like honking 'wang-wang-wang'. Flocks give persistent calling during high-altitude Himalayan migration — among the highest migrations of any bird species.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A musical, high whistle similar to other whistling-ducks. Call is softer and less far-carrying than White-faced or Black-bellied species. Given in flight and on water.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bar-headed Goose
Breeds in high Arctic of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska; winters on rocky coasts of eastern North America and western Europe.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Ranges widely across sub-Saharan Africa in open woodland and savanna. Largely sedentary with local seasonal movements to water.
Erhaltungsstatus
Bar-headed Goose
Spotted Whistling-duck
How to Tell Them Apart
Bar-headed Goose
White head with two distinctive black bars across crown. Yellow-orange bill and legs. Back and wings pale gray; underparts white. Black-tipped primaries. Sexes similar; famed for Himalayan migration.
Spotted Whistling-duck
Dark brown above; head and neck dark brown. Underparts heavily spotted white on dark brown ground, giving spotted appearance. Flanks with bold white spots. Pink-red bill and legs. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Bar-headed Goose
Famous as one of the world's highest-flying birds, crossing the Himalayas at altitudes exceeding 7,000 m during migration. Medium-sized, pale grey with two distinctive black bars on the white head. Breeds on high-altitude lakes; winters in South Asian wetlands. Specialized haemoglobin enables high-altitude flight.
Spotted Whistling-duck
A small dark brown whistling-duck with bold white spots on its flanks, orange-red bill and legs, and a pale face. Found in tropical wetlands of New Guinea, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Often found near freshwater streams and flooded grassland. Less gregarious than other whistling-ducks.