African pygmy goose
| African pygmy goose | |
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| A pair in Ethiopia (female in foreground) | |
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N. auritus
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| Nettapus auritus (Boddaert, 1783)
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The African pygmy goose (Nettapus auritus) is a perching duck from sub-Saharan Africa. It is the smallest of Africa's wildfowl, and one of the smallest in the world.[2]
Though pygmy geese have beaks like those of geese, they are more related to the dabbling ducks and other species called 'ducks'.[3]
It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
Description
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. The females have a grayish color with dark eye patches while the males have a white face with vibrant green ear patches and metallic green on their back.[3]
Distribution
The African pygmy goose is known to be nomadic. It can be found across a wide area of sub-Saharan Africa.[4] It prefers inland wetlands with vegetation such as water lilies. It sometimes occupies open swamps, farm dens, river pools, and estuaries.[5]
References
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External links
Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons- Pygmy goose - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
