African Pygmy-goose vs King Eider
Nettapus auritus verglichen mit Somateria spectabilis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | African Pygmy-goose | King Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Nettapus auritus | Somateria spectabilis |
| Ordnung | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familie | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 29,9 cm (11.8 in) | 53,3 cm (21.0 in) |
| Gewicht | 272,5 g (9.61 oz) | 1507,5 g (53.18 oz) |
| Ernährung | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … | Dives for sea urchins, molluscs, and crustaceans in Arctic coastal waters. Shifts to freshwater invertebrates … |
| Gelegegröße | 6-12 | 1-16 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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
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.
King Eider
Male produces a melodious, ascending ooo-wuh cooing; female gives a guttural grunt. The male's haunting, dove-like call is one of the most atmospheric sounds of the High Arctic in spring.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
King Eider
Circumpolar High Arctic breeder in North America, Greenland, Svalbard, and Russia. Winters at sea in the North Atlantic and Bering Sea.
Erhaltungsstatus
African Pygmy-goose
King Eider
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
King Eider
Male has bluish-grey crown, pale greenish cheeks, vivid orange-red frontal shield, black back and wings, and white breast patch. Female is warm rufous-brown with dark crescentic barring throughout.
About These Birds
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.
King Eider
A large sea duck (~1.5 kg) of the family Anatidae, males adorned with an ornate orange frontal shield and vivid plumage. Inhabits Arctic coasts and tundra, migrating to subarctic seas in winter. Dives up to 25 m to forage on mussels, clams, and sea urchins. Least Concern; circumpolar breeding population remains stable.