Magpie Goose

À propos

A large pied black-and-white waterbird with a distinctive knobbly head, long orange-pink legs, and partially webbed feet. The only member of family Anseranatidae. Found in tropical wetlands of northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Gregarious; forms large flocks in the dry season.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Envergure	81,1 cm	31.9 in
Poids	2302,0 g	81.20 oz

Identification

Plumage

Striking black and white plumage; head, neck, back, and wings black with bold white underparts and lower back. Bare orange facial skin. Knob on crown. Long orange-yellow legs. Sexes similar.

Habitat & Range

Seasonal tropical floodplains, paperbark swamps, waterlily lagoons, and freshwater margins of monsoonal northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Concentrates near permanent water in the dry season.

🌿 Wetland 🌾 Grassland 🏖️ Coastal

Répartition géographique

Breeds on South Georgia and Falkland Islands; ranges widely across the South Atlantic and Southern Ocean when not breeding.

Diet & Feeding

Eats grasses, sedges, and wetland plants; grazes pastures in winter; flocks on farmland stubble and coastal grasslands.

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Comportement et reproduction

Nidification

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 23-30 days. Fledging: 77 days.

Taille de la couvée

1-16

Son

Chant

A loud, honking 'ang-ang-ang' call. Both sexes vocalize frequently, especially in flight. Large flocks in Australia create a continuous honking chorus. Also gives softer clucking.

Taxonomie

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Ordre	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Famille	Anseranatidae (Magpie Goose)
Genus	Anseranas
Espèces	Anseranas semipalmata

Distribution

Magpie Goose has been recorded in 5 countries.

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Présent Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

External Databases

Foire aux questions

What does the Magpie Goose eat?

Eats grasses, sedges, and wetland plants; grazes pastures in winter; flocks on farmland stubble and coastal grasslands.

Where does the Magpie Goose live?

Seasonal tropical floodplains, paperbark swamps, waterlily lagoons, and freshwater margins of monsoonal northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Concentrates near permanent water in the dry season.

Is the Magpie Goose endangered?

The Magpie Goose has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Magpie Goose nest?

Nest type: CP. Incubation: 23-30 days. Fledging: 77 days.

What does the Magpie Goose sound like?

A loud, honking 'ang-ang-ang' call. Both sexes vocalize frequently, especially in flight. Large flocks in Australia create a continuous honking chorus. Also gives softer clucking.

How big is the Magpie Goose?

The Magpie Goose has a wingspan of 81.1 cm, weight of 2302.0 g.

What order and family does the Magpie Goose belong to?

The Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anseranatidae.