African Pygmy-goose vs King Eider
Nettapus auritus comparado con Somateria spectabilis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | African Pygmy-goose | King Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Nettapus auritus | Somateria spectabilis |
| Orden | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familia | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Estado de conservación | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longitud | — | — |
| Envergadura | 29,9 cm (11.8 in) | 53,3 cm (21.0 in) |
| Peso | 272,5 g (9.61 oz) | 1507,5 g (53.18 oz) |
| Dieta | 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 … |
| Tamaño de la puesta | 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.
Estado de conservación
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
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.
King Eider
El eider real es un gran pato marítimo ártico en el que el macho tiene un plumaje de cría espectacular con la cabeza de múltiples colores: azul-grisáceo, rosa y verde, con un prominente escudo frontal naranja. Cría en la tundra ártica y pasa el invierno en costas marinas, a menudo en aguas heladas. Forma grandes bandadas en el invierno que pueden contar con decenas de miles de individuos.