Bird Guide

Pink-eared Duck vs Taiga Bean Goose

Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus)

Pink-eared Duck

Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Large373 gWetland

The pink-eared duck has a large spatulate bill like the Australasian shoveler, but is smaller at 38–40 cm length. Its brown back and crown, black and white barred sides and black eye patches on its otherwise white face make this bird unmistakable. Juveniles are slightly duller, but otherwise all plumages are similar. Its vernacular name refers to a pink spot in the corner formed by the black head pattern; it is only noticeable at close distance however, making the origin of the seldom-used Australian name of zebra duck more readily apparent.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis)

Taiga Bean Goose

Anser fabalis

Huge2.8 kgWetland

The length ranges from 68 to 90 cm (27–35 in), wingspan from 140 to 174 cm (55–69 in) and weight from 1.7–4 kg (3.7–8.8 lb). In the nominate subspecies, males average 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) and females average 2.84 kg (6.3 lb). The bill is black at the base and tip, with an orange band across the middle; the legs and feet are also bright orange. The upper wing-coverts are dark brown, as in the white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) and the lesser white-fronted goose (A. erythropus), but differing from these in having narrow white fringes to the feathers. The voice is a loud honking.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Hobbyfotowiki · CC0

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