Birds · Anseriformes · Anseranatidae

Magpie Goose

Anseranas semipalmata

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The magpie goose is an unusual anseriform and the only living member of its family: its closest relatives split from the ducks and geese tens of millions of years ago. It is black and white with very long legs and only partly webbed feet. Unlike every other anseriform it does not moult all its flight feathers at once, so it never loses the ability to fly.

Weight

2 kg – 3 kg

Size

70 cm – 90 cm

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal Bird Freshwater Grassland

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Fun facts

It is the only anseriform in the world that is not left unable to fly during the moult: it renews its flight feathers gradually, while ducks, geese and swans spend weeks unable to take off.
It is frequently polygamous: a male lives permanently with two females that lay in the same nest and raise the brood together, a trio that can last for years.
The chicks are fed directly by the parents bill to bill, which is exceptional in the group: ducks and geese hatch looking for their own food.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Floodplains, marshes and seasonal wetlands of northern Australia and southern New Guinea
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 28 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 8 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anseranas_semipalmata