Greater White-fronted Goose vs Swan Goose

Anser albifrons comparé à Anser cygnoid

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Greater White-fronted Goose Swan Goose
Nom scientifique Anser albifrons Anser cygnoid
Ordre Anseriformes Anseriformes
Famille Anatidae Anatidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Endangered
Longueur
Envergure 81,6 cm (32.1 in) 84,4 cm (33.2 in)
Poids 2471,0 g (87.16 oz) 3343,75 g (117.95 oz)
Régime alimentaire Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates, seeds, and plant material; diet shifts heavily toward invertebrates in breeding … --
Taille de la couvée 3-9 4-8
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Greater White-fronted Goose only

Swan Goose only

Aucun(e)

Greater White-fronted Goose

Breeds on Arctic and subarctic tundra and peatlands. Winters on estuaries, agricultural fields, freshwater marshes, and flooded meadows across Europe, Asia, and North America. One of the most widespread geese.

Swan Goose

Breeds on steppe lakes, rivers, and meadows in Mongolia, Siberia, and northeastern China. Winters in eastern China's Yangtze River floodplain and coastal wetlands. Wild populations critically small.

Song & Call Comparison

Greater White-fronted Goose

Chant

A loud, laughing 'kow-lyuk' or musical 'wah-wah'. Gives a distinctive high-pitched yodeling quality lacking in Greylag. Highly vocal in large winter flocks.

Swan Goose

Chant

A deep, resonant 'honk'; less frequently heard than Greylag. The EN status reflects serious population decline; vocalizations are considered similar to Greylag Goose.

Geographic Range & Migration

Greater White-fronted Goose

Breeds in the potholes region of the northern Great Plains; winters in the southern United States and along the Gulf Coast.

Swan Goose

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Greater White-fronted Goose

Endangered

Swan Goose

How to Tell Them Apart

Greater White-fronted Goose

Plumage

Brown-gray body with white forehead patch bordered by white band at bill base. Underparts with bold irregular black bars on belly. Orange bill; orange-yellow legs. Juveniles lack white front and …

Swan Goose

Plumage

Long neck with rich chestnut hindneck stripe. Forehead and crown dark brown; face and throat whitish. Upperparts grayish-brown; underparts pale. Long black bill. Pink legs. Ancestor of Chinese domestic geese.

About These Birds

Greater White-fronted Goose

A medium-large goose with a white forehead patch, orange bill, grey-brown plumage, and variable black barring on the belly. Widespread and numerous; one of the most abundant geese in the world. Breeds across the high Arctic; winters in a wide range of temperate wetland and agricultural habitats.

Swan Goose

A large long-necked goose with warm brown body, pale underparts, a dark brown cap, and a long straight black bill. The ancestor of the Chinese domestic Swan Goose breed. Wild populations are declining sharply. Breeds in Mongolia and Siberia; winters in eastern China. Endangered in the wild.

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family