Cotton Pygmy Goose - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Rakesh

Pashan Pune

Alternative names: White Pygmy-goose, White Dwarf-goose, White-quilled Pygmy-goose, White-quilled Dwarf-goose, Indian Pygmy-goose, Australian Pygmy-goose, Cotton Teal.

Nettapus coromandelianus

Identification

26cm.

Breeding Male

• Glossy black-green crown
• White head
• White neck
• White below
• Black collar
• White wing bar
• Green wings

Female

• Paler
• Lacks black collar

Eclipse male

• Similar to female
• White wing bar

Distribution

India, Pakistan, southeast Asia and northern Australia.

Taxonomy

There are 2 subspecies:¹

• N. c. coromandelianus
  • Lowlands of India, southern Asia, Indonesia, and New Guinea
• N. c. albipennis
  • Lowlands of coastal northeastern Australia

Habitat

• Freshwater lakes
• Ditches
• Paddy fields

Behaviour

8-15 ivory eggs are laid in the nest which is made in a tree hole, lined with feathers and grass.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.

1. Wikipedia

External Links

Search for photos of Cotton Pygmy Goose in the gallery

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages
• View more images of this species on the ABID