Reunion Shelduck vs African Pygmy-goose
Alopochen kervazoi comparado con Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Reunion Shelduck | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Alopochen kervazoi | Nettapus auritus |
| Orden | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familia | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Estado de conservación | Extinct | Least Concern |
| Longitud | — | — |
| Envergadura | — | 29,9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Peso | — | 272,5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Dieta | Extinct Reunion shelduck; likely fed on grasses, seeds, and aquatic invertebrates near coastal wetlands based … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Tamaño de la puesta | -- | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Reunion Shelduck
Historically restricted to Réunion Island in the Mascarene archipelago. Now extinct; last evidence from early colonial period. Presumably inhabited freshwater wetland habitats on the island.
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
Reunion Shelduck
Extinct (EX); no vocalizations recorded. The Reunion Shelduck was exterminated soon after European contact. No contemporary accounts of its call survive in the historical record.
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
Reunion Shelduck
Formerly found across the Pacific from Hawaii to New Zealand. Extinct by the 19th century; survived late on uninhabited islands.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Estado de conservación
Reunion Shelduck
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Reunion Shelduck
Extinct Mascarene species known only from subfossil bones found on Réunion. Plumage unrecorded; presumed similar to Egyptian Goose with brownish-gray tones. Extirpated following European colonization.
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
Reunion Shelduck
An extinct shelduck formerly endemic to Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. Known only from subfossil bones and brief historical records from the 17th century. Went extinct shortly after European colonization. No illustrations or detailed physical description of the living bird is known.
African Pygmy-goose
El pigmeo africano o pato enano africano es el pato más pequeño de África y uno de los patos más pequeños del mundo. Tiene plumaje de color verde oscuro y blanco con el cuello de color castaño rojizo. Habita en lagunas tranquilas, estanques y pantanos con abundante vegetación flotante, especialmente lirios de agua, en África subsahariana.