Barnacle Goose vs African Pygmy-goose
Branta leucopsis verglichen mit Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Barnacle Goose | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Branta leucopsis | Nettapus auritus |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 76,4 cm (30.1 in) | 29,9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Gewicht | 1685,0 g (59.44 oz) | 272,5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Ernährung | Large white swan grazing aquatic plants and grasses; upends for submerged vegetation; supplements diet with … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Gelegegröße | 2-9 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Gemeinsame Lebensräume
Barnacle Goose only
African Pygmy-goose only
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Barnacle Goose
Breeds on inaccessible Arctic cliff ledges in Greenland, Svalbard, and Novaya Zemlya. Winters on coastal saltmarshes, pastures, and estuaries in northwestern Europe, particularly Scotland and Ireland.
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
Barnacle Goose
A rapid, high-pitched barking 'uk-uk-uk' given rapidly in flocks. Higher-pitched and more rapid than Canada Goose. Migrating flocks create a constant excited barking chorus.
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
Barnacle Goose
Breeds in Arctic tundra of Alaska and Canada; winters on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the United States and northern Mexico.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Erhaltungsstatus
Barnacle Goose
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Barnacle Goose
Striking black, white and gray pattern. White face and forehead; black crown, neck, and upper breast. Gray back with black and white barring. White underparts. Black tail. Sexes similar; elegant …
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
Barnacle Goose
A medium-sized cleanly patterned goose with a white face, black crown, neck, and breast, grey barred back, and white belly. Breeds in the high Arctic; winters in northwestern Europe. Famous in medieval times as the subject of the legend that it hatched from barnacles.
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.