Cotton Pygmy-Goose
NameCotton Pygmy-Goose
Common NameCotton Pygmy-Goose
Scientific NameNettapus coromandelianus
FamilyAnatidae
Wingspan (cm)40
Length (cm)31.5
Weight (g)280
Plumage DetailsMales exhibit a striking white head, neck, and underparts, a glossy dark green crown, and an iridescent dark green back, separated by a black collar. Females and immatures, as shown, have a dark brown crown and eye-stripe, white face and throat, and mottled brown-grey upperparts and flanks.
Vocalization / CallTypically a high-pitched, squeaky 'quack' or 'giggle', often described as 'tee-hee-hee' or 'quack-quack-quack'.
Primary Dietomnivore
Primary Habitatswetland
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeWidespread across tropical Asia, from Pakistan and India east through Southeast Asia to southern China, and south to Indonesia and northern Australia.
Identifying FeaturesVery small size for a duck, Short bill, Males: striking white plumage with dark cap and iridescent green back, black collar, Females/Immatures: dark eye-stripe, mottled brown-grey body, white face, Often perches on branches over water
Description
This very small, compact waterfowl is often found on still or slow-moving freshwater bodies, typically among abundant aquatic vegetation. Males are strikingly patterned with white and iridescent green, while females and immatures, like the one pictured, are duller with a distinctive dark eye-stripe. They forage for aquatic plants and invertebrates.
