Magpie-goose, Anseranas semipalmata
Geese Info ... Geese Photo Gallery ... Geese Species ... Library
The Magpie-goose, Anseranas semipalmata, is a waterbird found in Australia and New Guinea. It is a unique member of the bird order Anseriformes, and arranged in a separate family and genus.
Distribution / Habitat:
The Magpie-goose is a resident breeder in northern Australia, where it is not threatened and has a controlled hunting season when numbers are large, and in southern New Guinea. It is found in a variety of open wet areas such as floodplains and swamps. It is fairly sedentary apart from some movement during the dry season.
Description:
Magpie-geese are unmistakable birds with their black and white plumage and yellowish legs. The feet are only partially webbed, although the Magpie-goose will feed on vegetable matter in the water as well as on land. Males are larger than females. Unlike true geese, the moult is gradual, and there is no flightless period.
Breeding / Nesting:
Its nest is on the ground, and a typical clutch is 5-14 eggs. Some males mate with two females.
They are colonial breeders and are gregarious outside of the breeding season when they can form large and noisy flocks of up to a few thousand individuals. The voice is a loud honking.
Taxonomy:
This species is placed in the order Anseriformes, having the characteristic bill structure, but is considered to be distinct from the other species in this taxon. The related and extant families, Anhimidae (screamers) and Anatidae (ducks, geese and swans), contain all the other taxa. The Magpie-goose is contained in a monotypic arrangement: the genus Anseranas and family Anseranatidae.
Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia.org.
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with the AvianWeb visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the AvianWeb Webmaster.
Photo contributions and articles are welcome!
