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African Pygmy Goose

Nettapus auritus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernOmnivoreWetlandCavity nestMedium · 266 g
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 1
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 2
Photo: Christoph Moning · CC BY 4.0
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 3
Photo: Veli Pohjonen · Public domain
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 4
Photo: Timothy Whitehead · CC BY 4.0
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 5
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 6
Photo: Christoph Moning · CC BY 4.0
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 7
Photo: Veli Pohjonen · Public domain
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 8
Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 9
Photo: Scott Calleja · CC BY 2.0
African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), photo 10
Photo: Mike Fisher · CC BY 2.0

ID tip

The African pygmy goose is one of the smallest of the perching ducks, and it has the average weight of about 285 grams (10.1 oz) for males and 260 grams (9.2 oz) for females. Length of individual wings is between 142 millimetres (5.6 in) and 165 millimetres (6.5 in) (not to be confused with wingspan). They have a short bill which extends up the forehead so they superficially resemble geese. The males have a white face with black eye patches. The iridescent black crown extends down the back of the neck. This structure fringes powder green ear patches.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the African Pygmy Goose

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.

Where to see the African Pygmy Goose

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 36 countries with regular records, and 4 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

South Africa Botswana Namibia Ethiopia Ghana Mozambique Zambia Madagascar Zimbabwe Gambia Kenya Senegal Uganda Tanzania Cameroon Nigeria Côte d’Ivoire Benin Liberia Eswatini Angola Gabon Malawi Congo - Brazzaville Togo Guinea-Bissau Niger Congo - Kinshasa Sierra Leone South Sudan Mauritania Burkina Faso Equatorial Guinea Mali Rwanda Chad

Recorded as a rare visitor in São Tomé & Príncipe, Belgium, Central African Republic, Somalia.

About the African Pygmy Goose

The African pygmy goose is a perching duck from sub-Saharan Africa. It is the smallest of Africa's waterfowl, and one of the smallest in the world.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Green Pygmy Goose (Nettapus pulchellus) Green Pygmy GooseNettapus pulchellusRanging from 30 to 36 cm (12 to 14 in) in length, the green pygmy goose is one of the smallest species of duck. Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) Cotton Pygmy GooseNettapus coromandelianusSmall individuals of this species are the smallest waterfowl on earth, at as little as 160 g (5.6 oz) and 26 cm (10 in).

Side by side: African Pygmy Goose vs Cotton Pygmy Goose · African Pygmy Goose vs Green Pygmy Goose · African Pygmy Goose vs Black-headed Duck · African Pygmy Goose vs Baikal Teal · African Pygmy Goose vs Masked Duck

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