Green Pygmy-Goose

1. Males have a dark green head and neck with a white cheek patch; females have a dark eye-stripe and lack green on the head.

2. Both sexes display a large white wing patch in flight.

3. Immature birds are duller with mottled brown heads.

These birds are primarily herbivorous, feeding on seeds, leaves, flowers, and stems of waterlilies and other aquatic plants. They spend most of their time dabbling at the water’s surface and rarely come ashore, moving awkwardly when they do. Green Pygmy-Geese form long-term pairs, with males helping to defend the nest site. They nest in tree hollows near water, with females laying 8–12 eggs and incubating them for about 26 days. The male helps rear the young once they hatch. The species is vulnerable to habitat loss, particularly when wetlands dry up during the dry season.

Green Pygmy-Geese are found in tropical freshwater wetlands across northern Australia, including the Kimberley, Northern Territory, and Cape York Peninsula, as well as southern New Guinea. They prefer permanent waterbodies with abundant waterlilies and floating plants, such as lagoons, billabongs, and lakes. The species is largely resident but may disperse more widely during the wet season