Cotton pygmy goose
| Cotton pygmy goose | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Male (behind), and female, race albipennis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: |
N. coromandelianus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Nettapus coromandelianus Gmelin, 1789
|
|
| Subspecies | |
|
|
Lua error in Module:Taxonbar/candidate at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
The cotton pygmy goose or cotton teal[2] (Nettapus coromandelianus) is a small perching duck which breeds in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, southeast Asia and south to northern Australia.
Description
Small individuals of this species are the smallest waterfowl on earth, at as little as 160 g (5.6 oz) and 26 cm (10 in). White predominates in this bird's plumage. Bill short, deep at base, and goose-like.
Male in breeding plumage is glossy blackish green crown, with white head, neck, and underparts; a prominent black collar and white wing-bar. Rounded head and short legs. In flight, the wings are green with a white band, making the male conspicuous even amongst the huge flying flocks of the lesser whistling duck, which share the habitat. Female paler, without either black collar and only a narrow or nonexistent strip of white wing-bar. In non-breeding plumage (eclipse) male resembles female except for his white wing-bar. Flocks on water bodies (jheels), etc.
The call is a peculiar clucking, uttered in flight
Distribution
It is largely resident, apart from dispersion in the wet season, but Chinese birds make long-distance migrations to winter further south. It nests in tree holes, laying 8–15 eggs.
This is an abundant species in Asia, although the slightly larger Australian race appears to be declining in numbers.[citation needed]
Found on all still freshwater lakes (jheels), rain-filled ditches, inundated paddy fields, irrigation tanks, etc. Becomes very tame on village tanks wherever it is unmolested and has become inured to human proximity. Swift on the wing, and can dive creditably on occasion.[citation needed] Found in ponds and lakes in southern Pakistan . However numbers are declining and it is definitely endangered.
Behaviour
Its food is chiefly seeds and vegetable matter, especially water lilies; also insects, crustaceans, etc.[citation needed]
The nesting season is July to September (SW. monsoon).[where?] Its nest is a natural hollow in a tree-trunk standing in or near water, sometimes lined with grass, rubbish and feathers. It lays 6 to 12 eggs, which are ivory white.[citation needed]
References
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Birds of Goa (video)[full citation needed]
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nettapus coromandelianus. |
 |
Wikispecies has information related to: Nettapus coromandelianus |
- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Articles with unsourced statements from February 2011
- Vague or ambiguous geographic scope from July 2011
- Commons category link is locally defined
- Use dmy dates from February 2011
- Nettapus
- Geese
- Birds of Indonesia
- Birds of Pakistan
- Birds of the Middle East
- Birds of Southeast Asia
- Birds of India
- Birds of Bangladesh
- Birds of Thailand
- Birds of Australia
- Birds of Nepal
