Coscoroba Swan vs African Pygmy-goose
Coscoroba coscoroba verglichen mit Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Coscoroba Swan | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Coscoroba coscoroba | Nettapus auritus |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 84,2 cm (33.1 in) | 29,9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Gewicht | 4200,0 g (148.15 oz) | 272,5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Ernährung | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; dabbles and upends in shallow water; diet more invertebrate-heavy … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Gelegegröße | 4-9 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Coscoroba Swan
Freshwater lakes, marshes, lagoons, and flooded grasslands from southern Brazil through Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego. Partially migratory; moves northward in winter. Nests in reedy margins.
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
Coscoroba Swan
A bugling, honking 'coscoroba' call — giving the species its onomatopoeic name. Loud and far-carrying. Less commonly heard than northern hemisphere swans.
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
Coscoroba Swan
Breeds in western North American prairies and parklands; winters in California, the Southwest, and northern Mexico.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Erhaltungsstatus
Coscoroba Swan
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Coscoroba Swan
Entirely white plumage except black wingtips visible in flight. Bright red bill and red legs and feet. Red eye-ring. More goose-like than true swans. Juvenile has brownish wash. Sexes similar.
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
Coscoroba Swan
The smallest swan and the only member of its genus, differing from true swans with a more goose-like head, red-pink bill and legs, and all-white plumage with black wingtips. Found in southern South America. Swims gracefully and grazes shoreline vegetation. Loud coscoroba call is distinctive.
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.