Lesser Whistling-duck vs African Pygmy-goose
Dendrocygna javanica comparé à Nettapus auritus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Lesser Whistling-duck | African Pygmy-goose |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Dendrocygna javanica | Nettapus auritus |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 38,8 cm (15.3 in) | 29,9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Poids | 525,0 g (18.52 oz) | 272,5 g (9.61 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Grazes subarctic grasses and rushes; migratory; winters on estuarine mudflats and coastal grasslands eating eelgrass … | Filter-feeds on invertebrates and seeds; dabbles in shallow ponds; diet more plant-based outside spring breeding … |
| Taille de la couvée | 7-17 | 6-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
Lesser Whistling-duck only
African Pygmy-goose only
Aucun(e)
Lesser Whistling-duck
Freshwater wetlands, lakes, rice paddies, mangroves, and slow rivers across South and Southeast Asia from India through southern China to Borneo and Indonesia. Common near cultivated land and human settlements.
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
Lesser Whistling-duck
A softer, higher-pitched whistle than other Dendrocygna. Call is a quick 'we-we' given in flight. Smaller size reflected in higher-pitched and thinner quality of call.
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
Lesser Whistling-duck
Breeds on tundra of northern Canada and Alaska; winters on the Pacific coast from California to Mexico and Central America.
African Pygmy-goose
Breeds across temperate to sub-Arctic Eurasia; winters in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Statut de conservation
Lesser Whistling-duck
African Pygmy-goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Lesser Whistling-duck
Warm chestnut-brown overall; head and neck brown; upperparts dark brown. Chestnut rump and upper-tail conspicuous in flight. Flanks chestnut with pale streaks. Bill and legs dark gray. Sexes similar.
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
Lesser Whistling-duck
A small warm brown whistling-duck with chestnut upper-tail coverts, a pale face, and dark brown cap. The most widespread and common whistling-duck in Asia. Found in freshwater wetlands from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia. Nests in holes in trees and sometimes in thatched roofs.
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.