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African Pygmy goose

Nettapus auritus

Published on Project Noah
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7.0934, 38.4679

Field Notes

Description:

The smallest of African wildfowls, about 30 cm in length. It is unmistakable, a tiny duck with orange breast and flanks, combined with dark green back. Breeding male has brighter colors, white face with a bright orange-yellow bill with a distinctive black tip (nail), and lime-green neck patch, neatly bordered in black. Juvenile and female are of duller colors, with discreet, indistinct head markings.

Habitat:

An African species, found all over sub-Saharan Africa, and mainly in freshwater lakes with floating vegetation - it appears this pygmy goose particularly likes lakes with plenty of water lilies (lotus, Nymphaea) floating around. Here, seen in a protected wetland and forest area on lake Awasa (Hawasa) of Ethiopia; the place I already evoked several times as a birdwatcher paradise...

Notes:

Is this the first spotting of this species ini natural environment or the search function is not working properly?

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)

You are correct Zlatan, all the others on Project Noah were captive so far.

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