# Magpie Goose (*anseranas semipalmata*) The Magpie Goose is a large, black-and-white bird that loves to waddle around wetlands. These geese are great swimmers and can often be seen floating on water! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Magpie Geese live in wetlands, swamps, and along the edges of rivers and lakes. - **Also known as:** Australian Magpie Goose, Pied Goose ![Magpie Goose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Magpie_goose.jpg&width=800) Photo: fir0002 flagstaffotos \[at\] gmail.com Canon 20D + Canon 400mm f/5.6 L, GFDL 1.2 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magpie_goose.jpg) ## Appearance The Magpie Goose has striking black and white plumage, creating a tuxedo-like appearance. It features long, yellow-orange legs and feet, and a prominent bony knob on its head, more noticeable in older individuals. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anseranatidae - **Genus:** Anseranas ## Interesting facts - A single Magpie Goose nest can hold up to 14 eggs from multiple females! - Magpie Geese have a bony knob on their head that grows bigger with age. - Their feet are only partially webbed, making them unique among waterfowl! - They are one of the oldest living bird lineages, dating back millions of years! ## Special abilities - **Tree Percher:** Magpie Goose can perch in trees because of their long, partially-webbed toes that help them grip branches. - **Flight Master:** Magpie Goose has a unique non-simultaneous wing feather molt that allows them to fly year-round, unlike most ducks. - **Wetland Engineer:** Magpie Goose can build massive, floating nests up to a meter high, which helps protect their eggs from rising water. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 70-90 cm - **Wingspan:** 130-180 cm - **Weight:** 1.9-3.1 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 8-14 - **Incubation:** 23-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding These geese are mostly vegetarian, munching on grasses, seeds, and the juicy parts of water plants. - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Sedges, Tubers, Seeds, Aquatic plant leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Saltwater Crocodile](https://www.snappit.app/explore/saltwater-crocodile) (*Crocodylus porosus*) — Hunts adult and juvenile Magpie Geese in water. - **Eaten by:** Lace Monitor (*Varanus varius*) — Preys on eggs and chicks in ground nests. - **Depends on:** [Water Lily](https://www.snappit.app/explore/water-lily) (*Nymphaea nouchali*) — Consumes tubers and seeds from the plant. - **Depends on:** Tall Spike-rush (*Eleocharis sphacelata*) — Grazes on shoots and roots in wetlands. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Magpie Goose? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Magpie Goose? 70-90 cm ### What is Magpie Goose's wingspan? 130-180 cm ### How much does Magpie Goose weigh? 1.9-3.1 kg ### How long does Magpie Goose live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Magpie Goose move? 70 km/h ### What does Magpie Goose eat? These geese are mostly vegetarian, munching on grasses, seeds, and the juicy parts of water plants. ### Where is Magpie Goose usually found? Magpie Geese live in wetlands, swamps, and along the edges of rivers and lakes. ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Magpie Goose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/magpie-goose)