Magpie Goose

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

The Magpie Goose is a large, unmistakable waterbird (70–90 cm) with a striking black-and-white pattern. The head, long neck, wings, and tail are black, contrasting sharply with the white underparts and back. It features a prominent bony knob on the crown—larger in males than females—and a reddish-pink bill with a pronounced hook. A key field mark is the long, bright orange-yellow legs and feet which, unlike other waterfowl, are only partially webbed with notably long, strong toes. Uniquely, this species moults its flight feathers gradually and does not experience a flightless period. Highly gregarious, they gather in noisy flocks of thousands. Their presence is announced by loud, resonant, metallic honking ("ark-ark-ark") that becomes deafening in large groups. They are strong fliers with slow, steady wingbeats, often forming V-shaped skeins or long lines, and are known to perch in trees. Foraging in shallow wetlands, floodplains, or agricultural land, they use their hooked bills to dig for spike-rush corms, seeds, and tubers. Breeding is often cooperative, with trios of one male and two females building nests on the ground or elevated in trees. The core range spans northern Australian tropical wetlands from the Kimberley to Queensland, though they move long distances seasonally and inhabit scattered southern regions. While distinctive, they might be confused at a distance with the Straw-necked Ibis, which shares a pied pattern but has a thin, down-curved bill and smaller body. The Australian Shelduck is also smaller with a typical duck silhouette and lacks the long neck and orange legs of the Magpie Goose.

Description · BirdUp · CC BY-SA 4.0