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Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

The Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 391 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Anseriformes
  3. Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
  4. Genus Nettapus
  5. Species coromandelianus

Where it lives

India to northeastern Australia

Quick facts

Weight
391 g
Family
Anatidae
Order
Anseriformes

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Cotton Pygmy Goose feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Cotton Pygmy Goose is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, AU India to ne Australia.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 391 g, with a wing length of about 15.9 cm and a tail of around 6.5 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9.2 million km².

Songs & calls

Cotton Pygmy Goose — Flight call

Recorded by Sam Hambly Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Cotton Pygmy Goose?

The Cotton Pygmy Goose is a large bird that weighs around 391 g.

Where does the Cotton Pygmy Goose live?

The Cotton Pygmy Goose is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, AU India to ne Australia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Cotton Pygmy Goose belong to?

The Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Cotton Pygmy Goose eat?

The Cotton Pygmy Goose feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Does the Cotton Pygmy Goose migrate?

The Cotton Pygmy Goose is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Cotton Pygmy Goose endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Cotton Pygmy Goose make?

1 real field recording of the Cotton Pygmy Goose — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Cotton Pygmy Goose's range?

The Cotton Pygmy Goose has a mapped global range of about 9.2 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

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