BirdUp · Species
Cotton Pygmy Goose
Nettapus coromandelianus(Gmelin, JF, 1789)
Updated
At a glance
The Cotton Pygmy Goose is a large bird, about 34–38 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 34–38 cm
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Very common
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a Cotton Pygmy Goose look like?
The Cotton Pygmy Goose is a large bird, about 34–38 cm long and weighing 185–495 g.
The cotton pygmy goose or cotton teal is a small perching duck which breeds in Asia, Southeast Asia extending south and east to Queensland where they are sometimes called white-quilled pygmy goose. They are among the smallest waterfowl in the world and are found in small to large waterbodies with good aquatic vegetation. They are usually seen in pairs or larger groups of pairs, roosting and nesting on trees near water. They are strong fliers and are known to disperse widely, especially in winter. Their breeding season coincides with the rains.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
03 · When
When to look
When can you see a Cotton Pygmy Goose?
The Cotton Pygmy Goose is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a Cotton Pygmy Goose eat?
The Cotton Pygmy Goose feeds on seeds, foliage/herbs and fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.
The BirdUp app
Log your next Cotton Pygmy Goose in the field
A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.