Anseranas semipalmata
Silhouette: Neville William Cayley · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata) is the sole living representative species of the family Anseranatidae. This waterbird is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. The species is not truly migratory but it sometimes travels large distances to find food and water, especially when not breeding, and is sometimes recorded outside its core range. The species was once also widespread in southern Australia but disappeared from there largely due to the drainage of the wetlands where the birds once bred. Due to their importance to Aboriginal people as a seasonal food source, as subjects of recreational hunting, and as a tourist attraction, their expansive and stable presence in northern Australia has been "ensured [by] protective management".
The magpie goose has black-and-white plumage in both sexes, with a long neck and legs and a long hooked bill. The males are 75–90 cm (30–35 in) in length and weigh 2.76 kg (6.1 lb) on average. The female is smaller, being 70–80 cm (28–31 in) in length and weighing 2.07 kg (4.6 lb). The wingspan of this bird spans 130–180 cm (4.3–5.9 ft). Their voice is a loud resonant honking. Its legs and feet are orange. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Magpie Goose sighting in Brisbane on a given day, based on 1,709 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 85th most-seen of the 237 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December to March
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Magpie Goose in Brisbane on a given day, against under 5% in May to August, the lowest months. Those are among Brisbane's wettest months, with about 140 mm of rain a month against 40 mm in July.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Magpie Goose sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Magpie Goose sightings, Brisbane has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Melbourne (Australia, under 5%).
Same order: Anseriformes
The closest relatives of the Magpie Goose that you can see in Brisbane (order Anseriformes, Waterfowl) are Pacific Black Duck (about 60%), Australian Wood Duck (about 40%) and Grey Teal (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Magpie Goose is recorded against all the birds logged in Brisbane (1,709 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
