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Description

Species Name: Magpie Goose

Species Latin Name: Anseranas semipalmata

Sub Species Names: Known as "manimunak" by the Aboriginal people of Kunwinjku of the western Arnhem Land.

Native To: Northern Australia and Southern New Guinea

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Photo Taken At: Serendip Sanctuary

Size (length): 70-90cm (27.6-35.4 inches)

Weight: 2-3kg (4.4-6.6 pounds)

Lifespan: 20-30 Years

Wingspan: 1.5m (4.9 feet)

Description:

Magpie Geese are quite large birds, their unmistakeable black and white plumage is similar to that of the magpie bird. The portions of their bodies that are white include the majority of their body as well as the inner portions of their wings. The rest of their bodies including their head, neck, tail feathers, and the outer portions of their wings are black. These birds have long webbed orange legs and feet. Their faces are a mixture of pink and creamy colours with some black portions going down to its bill. The tip of the bill itself is coloured a light gray colour.

Diet:

These geese are herbivores, they will travel and congregate in large flocks to feed mostly on aquatic vegetation. These geese can congregate to feed in flocks that number up to couple of thousand birds.

Behaviour:

These noisy geese during mating season will congregate in large flocks for feeding as well as for mating. They will nest on the ground to lay the eggs and the both parents will look after the eggs. Sometimes the male will mate with 2 females which will result in both females laying eggs together, in events such as this both females and the one male will look after all the eggs collectively. It is believed that by having a trio looking after multiple eggs and young is beneficial when the young birds are at a higher likelyhood of being predated upon by predators.

Risks to the species:

Although these geese are listed as least concern they were hunted extensively in the past. These birds were overhunted especially in the southern parts of Australia, since then there have been efforts to reintroduce these birds back to the southern Australia to keep their numbers at healthier numbers. Further up north these geese thrive and are at healthy numbers where hunters can hunt them without issue. There are concerns that with climate change more freshwater plains may get contaminated with salt water which may impact these birds numbers in the future.

Further Reading (general information):

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magpie_g…

Birdlife: www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profi…

Animalia: animalia.bio/magpie-goose

Australian Museum: australian.museum/learn/animal…

World Life Expectancy: www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/bi…

Description

Species Name: Magpie Goose

Species Latin Name: Anseranas semipalmata

Sub Species Names: Known as "manimunak" by the Aboriginal people of Kunwinjku of the western Arnhem Land.

Native To: Northern Australia and Southern New Guinea

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Photo Taken At: Serendip Sanctuary

Size (length): 70-90cm (27.6-35.4 inches)

Weight: 2-3kg (4.4-6.6 pounds)

Lifespan: 20-30 Years

Wingspan: 1.5m (4.9 feet)

Description:

Magpie Geese are quite large birds, their unmistakeable black and white plumage is similar to that of the magpie bird. The portions of their bodies that are white include the majority of their body as well as the inner portions of their wings. The rest of their bodies including their head, neck, tail feathers, and the outer portions of their wings are black. These birds have long webbed orange legs and feet. Their faces are a mixture of pink and creamy colours with some black portions going down to its bill. The tip of the bill itself is coloured a light gray colour.

Diet:

These geese are herbivores, they will travel and congregate in large flocks to feed mostly on aquatic vegetation. These geese can congregate to feed in flocks that number up to couple of thousand birds.

Behaviour:

These noisy geese during mating season will congregate in large flocks for feeding as well as for mating. They will nest on the ground to lay the eggs and the both parents will look after the eggs. Sometimes the male will mate with 2 females which will result in both females laying eggs together, in events such as this both females and the one male will look after all the eggs collectively. It is believed that by having a trio looking after multiple eggs and young is beneficial when the young birds are at a higher likelyhood of being predated upon by predators.

Risks to the species:

Although these geese are listed as least concern they were hunted extensively in the past. These birds were overhunted especially in the southern parts of Australia, since then there have been efforts to reintroduce these birds back to the southern Australia to keep their numbers at healthier numbers. Further up north these geese thrive and are at healthy numbers where hunters can hunt them without issue. There are concerns that with climate change more freshwater plains may get contaminated with salt water which may impact these birds numbers in the future.

Further Reading (general information):

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magpie_g…

Birdlife: www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profi…

Animalia: animalia.bio/magpie-goose

Australian Museum: australian.museum/learn/animal…

World Life Expectancy: www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/bi…