Mottled Duck vs African Pygmy-goose

Anas fulvigula comparé à Nettapus auritus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Mottled Duck African Pygmy-goose
Nom scientifique Anas fulvigula Nettapus auritus
Ordre Anseriformes Anseriformes
Famille Anatidae Anatidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 48,9 cm (19.3 in) 29,9 cm (11.8 in)
Poids 1027,5 g (36.24 oz) 272,5 g (9.61 oz)
Régime alimentaire -- Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding …
Taille de la couvée 9-13 6-12
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Mottled Duck only

African Pygmy-goose only

Aucun(e)

Mottled Duck

Coastal freshwater and brackish marshes, wet prairies, and gulf coast wetlands in Florida and along the Gulf of Mexico coast to Texas. Non-migratory year-round resident. Threatened by Mallard hybridization.

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

Mottled Duck

Chant

Female gives a loud, Mallard-like quacking series; male produces a soft, nasal note. Alarm call is a rapid, emphatic quacking burst; flocks generate a loud chorus on Gulf Coast marshes.

African Pygmy-goose

Chant

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

Mottled Duck

African Pygmy-goose

Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Mottled Duck

Least Concern

African Pygmy-goose

How to Tell Them Apart

Mottled Duck

Plumage

Rich mottled brown plumage with buff-edged feathers and pale buff head and throat. Dark crown and eye stripe. Iridescent blue speculum with white border. Yellow-orange bill. Sexes similar. Resembles non-breeding …

African Pygmy-goose

Plumage

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

Mottled Duck

A medium-sized buff-brown dabbling duck closely related to the Mallard, with a plain brown body, yellow bill, and blue speculum. Non-migratory; restricted to coastal marshes of Florida and the Gulf Coast. Threatened by hybridization with introduced Mallards in Florida.

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.

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