Bar-headed Goose vs Mute Swan
Anser indicus verglichen mit Cygnus olor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Bar-headed Goose | Mute Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Anser indicus | Cygnus olor |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | 152,0 cm (59.8 in) |
| Flügelspannweite | 87,6 cm (34.5 in) | 235,0 cm (92.5 in) |
| Gewicht | 2288,0 g (80.71 oz) | 11000,0 g (388.01 oz) |
| Ernährung | Eats aquatic plants, grasses, and roots; filters invertebrates during breeding; forms large flocks on shallow … | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … |
| Gelegegröße | 3-8 | 5-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
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.
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
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.
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
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.
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Erhaltungsstatus
Bar-headed Goose
Mute Swan
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.
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
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.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.