Nettapus pulchellus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The green pygmy goose (Nettapus pulchellus) is a small perching duck which breeds in southern New Guinea and northern Australia. First described in 1842 by the ornithologist John Gould, its specific name is derived from diminutive of the Latin adjective pulcher "pretty". It is one of three species in the Afro-Asian genus Nettapus, an ancient and unusual group of ducks. No subspecies are recognised.
Ranging from 30 to 36 cm (12 to 14 in) in length, the green pygmy goose is one of the smallest species of duck. It has a 48 to 60 cm (19 to 23.5 in) wingspan. It has a small bill and a compact form. The breeding male has a predominantly dark green back and neck, and a dark gray crown. The cheeks are white, and the underparts are pale grey and white scalloped. The tail, primary flight feathers and primary coverts are black, while the secondary flight feathers are white. The secondary coverts are a dark iridescent green. This iridescence is lost outside of the breeding season and the plumage becomes duller. The species exhibits a degree of sexual dimorphism — the female has a barred rather than green neck but otherwise resembles the non-breeding male. Immature... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ragunan Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 2 | Territory Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Perth Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Bali Bird Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Green Pygmy-Goose sighting in Litchfield National Park on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 93rd most-seen of the 110 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June, August and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Green Pygmy-Goose in Litchfield National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–May, July and September–November, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Green Pygmy-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.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Green Pygmy-Goose sightings, Litchfield National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Kakadu National Park (Australia, about 50%).
Same family: Anatidae
The closest relatives of the Green Pygmy-Goose that you can see in Litchfield National Park (family Anatidae, Ducks, Geese, and Swans) are Raja Shelduck (about 30%), Plumed Whistling Duck (about 20%) and Wandering Whistling Duck (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Green Pygmy-Goose is recorded against all the birds logged in Litchfield National Park (16 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
