African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus)
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African Pygmy Goose

Nettapus auritus (Boddaert, 1783)

266 gWeight

The African pygmy goose (Nettapus auritus) is a perching duck from sub-Saharan Africa.

Busiest months: March, September and November · Most records: Botswana, South Africa, Ethiopia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: March, September and November · Most records: Botswana, South Africa, Ethiopia

African Pygmy Goose has been recorded at 193 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 31 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Lake Awassa – United Africa Shebelle Hotel areaEthiopia176 records
  2. Muzi PanSouth Africa158 records
  3. iSimangaliso WP – Eastern ShoresSouth Africa144 records
More places
  1. Lake Ziway – southwestern shoreEthiopia126 records
  2. Okavango Delta – Xaro LodgeBotswana122 records
  3. Lake AwassaEthiopia116 records
  4. Okavango Delta – Moremi GRBotswana102 records
  5. Nguuni Nature SanctuaryKenya100 records
  6. Bwabwata NP – Mahango riverside loopNamibia86 records
  7. Drotsky's CabinsBotswana83 records

Countries and regions with the most records

BotswanaSouth AfricaEthiopiaNamibiaSenegalZambiaKenyaUganda

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

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

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the African Pygmy Goose?

The African Pygmy Goose weighs around 266 g.

Where does the African Pygmy Goose live?

Its breeding range: Africa: south of the Sahara. It is most often recorded in Botswana, South Africa and Ethiopia.

When is the best time to see the African Pygmy Goose?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March, September and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the African Pygmy Goose endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the African Pygmy Goose as Least Concern.

What does the African Pygmy Goose eat?

Main food: Aquatic plants.

What family is the African Pygmy Goose in?

It belongs to the family Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae), order Anseriformes.

At a glance

Weight
266 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Aquatic plants
Lifestyle
On the water surface
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
150 mm
Tail
66 mm
Bill
28 mm
Tarsus
25 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: south of the Sahara

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Ducks, Geese, Swans Anatidae
Genus
Nettapus

Other birds in the genus Nettapus

Cotton Pygmy GooseCotton Pygmy GooseNettapus coromandelianusGreen Pygmy GooseGreen Pygmy GooseNettapus pulchellusWhite-faced Whistling DuckWhite-faced Whistling DuckDendrocygna viduataBlack-bellied Whistling DuckBlack-bellied Whistling DuckDendrocygna autumnalisSpotted Whistling DuckSpotted Whistling DuckDendrocygna guttataWest Indian Whistling DuckWest Indian Whistling DuckDendrocygna arboreaFulvous Whistling DuckFulvous Whistling DuckDendrocygna bicolorPlumed Whistling DuckPlumed Whistling DuckDendrocygna eytoniWandering Whistling DuckWandering Whistling DuckDendrocygna arcuataLesser Whistling DuckLesser Whistling DuckDendrocygna javanica
African Pygmy Goose

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Asrat Ayalew Gella. ↗

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