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Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

Least Concern
Envergadura
104,5 cm
Peso
4475,0 g
Familia
Anatidae
Orden
Anseriformes

Acerca de

El pato espolonado o ganso espolonado africano es el pato más pesado del África subsahariana. El macho tiene el plumaje negro iridiscente con el vientre blanco y la cara con carúnculas rojas. Su nombre alude a los espolones que tiene en los hombros de las alas, usados en combate. Habita en ríos, lagunas y pantanos de África, anidando en árboles o en el suelo.

Physical Description

Measurement Value Imperial
Envergadura 104,5 cm 41.1 in
Peso 4475,0 g 157.85 oz

Identificación

Plumaje

Large; black upperparts with glossy green and purple iridescence. White forehead patch, facial skin reddish, and white underparts. Males have larger red facial caruncle and bill knob than females. Spur on wing.

Habitat & Range

Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and flooded grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa from the Sahel to South Africa. Feeds along wetland margins and on agricultural land near water. Nests on the ground.

Distribución geográfica

Breeds across Alaska and Canada in wetlands; winters along the Pacific coast from the Aleutians to Baja California.

Diet & Feeding

Eats seeds, invertebrates, and aquatic plants; dabbles in shallow water; omnivorous diet shifts with breeding season demands.

Estado de conservación

Least Concern
IUCN Red List

Comportamiento y reproducción

Nidificación

Nest type: CV,O. Incubation: 30-33 days. Fledging: 70 days.

Tamaño de la puesta

6-14

Sonido

Canto

A harsh, goose-like clucking 'uk-uk-uk' in flight. Males give a whistling hiss. Large and ungainly; its loud wing beats and harsh calls are characteristic of savanna wetlands.

Taxonomía

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Orden Anseriformes (Aves Acuáticas)
Familia Anatidae (Patos, Gansos y Cisnes)
Genus Plectropterus
Especies Plectropterus gambensis

External Databases

Preguntas frecuentes

What does the Spur-winged Goose eat?
Eats seeds, invertebrates, and aquatic plants; dabbles in shallow water; omnivorous diet shifts with breeding season demands.
Where does the Spur-winged Goose live?
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and flooded grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa from the Sahel to South Africa. Feeds along wetland margins and on agricultural land near water. Nests on the ground.
Is the Spur-winged Goose endangered?
The Spur-winged Goose has a conservation status of Least Concern.
How does the Spur-winged Goose nest?
Nest type: CV,O. Incubation: 30-33 days. Fledging: 70 days.
What does the Spur-winged Goose sound like?
A harsh, goose-like clucking 'uk-uk-uk' in flight. Males give a whistling hiss. Large and ungainly; its loud wing beats and harsh calls are characteristic of savanna wetlands.
How big is the Spur-winged Goose?
The Spur-winged Goose has a wingspan of 104.5 cm, weight of 4475.0 g.
What order and family does the Spur-winged Goose belong to?
The Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.

Similar Birds

Other species in the Anatidae family

Comparar

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