Cotton Pygmy Goose
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cotton Pygmy Goose | ||||||||||||||
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| Image:Cotton Pygmy-goose.jpg Male (behind), and female, race albipennis
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LC[1]
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| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Nettapus coromandelianus Gmelin, 1789 | ||||||||||||||
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(Lesser Cotton Pygmy Goose)
(Greater Cotton Pygmy Goose) |
The Cotton Pygmy Goose or the Cotton Teal,[2] Nettapus coromandelianus is a small perching duck which breeds in India, Pakistan, southeast Asia and south to northern Australia. It is locally known as Girri, Girria, Girja (Hindi); Gurgura (Etawah); Bali hans (Bengal); Bhullia hans (Bangladesh); Dandana (Orissa); Ade, Atla (Ratnagiri); Naher, Keeke, Chuwa (Nowgong, Assam); Baher, Kararhi (Sind, Pakistan).
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[edit] Description
The smallest of the Indian wild ducks, white predominates in the 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.
Call: A peculiar clucking, uttered in flight
[edit] Distribution
It is largely resident, apart from dispersion in the wet season, but Chinese birds 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.
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.
[edit] Food
Chiefly seeds and vegetable matter, especially water lilies; also insects, crustaceans, etc.
[edit] Nesting
Season- July to September (SW. monsoon). Nest- a natural hollow in a tree-trunk standing in or near water, sometimes lined with grass, rubbish and feathers. Eggs- 6 to 12, ivory white.
[edit] Gallery
Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)- Male bathing while Female looks at, in Kolkata I IMG 2388.jpg
Male bathing while Female looks at, in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)- Male & Female l in Kolkata I IMG 2471.jpg
Male & Female in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)- Male & Female l in Kolkata I IMG 2470.jpg
Male & Female in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)- Male & Female l in Kolkata I IMG 2409.jpg
Male & Female in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)- Female with Lesser Whistling-duck in Kolkata I IMG 1001.jpg
Female with Lesser Whistling-duck in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)- Female in Kolkata I IMG 2464.jpg
Female in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)- Female in Kolkata I IMG 2439.jpg
Female in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)- Female in Kolkata I IMG 2438.jpg
Female in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Whiskered Tern with Cotton Pigmy Geese I IMG 9382.jpg
Females resting with a Whiskered Tern near Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.
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Cotton Pygmy Goose I IMG 9364.jpg
Female at Hodal in Faridabad District of Haryana, India.
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Cotton Pygmy Geese I IMG 4760.jpg
Male & Female in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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[edit] References
- ^ BirdLife International (2004). Nettapus coromandelianus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- ^ Ali, Salim; J C Daniel (1983). The book of Indian Birds, Twelfth Centenary edition. Bombay Natural History Society/Oxford University Press.
- Wildfowl by Madge and Burn, ISBN 0-7470-2201-1
- Birds of Goa (video)
[edit] External links
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- IUCN Red Listja:ナンキンオシ
