Anseranas semipalmata
magpie goose
(Also: magpie-goose)

Magpie geese are found only in their native Australia and the neighboring island of New Guinea, primarily in Pacific coastal areas. ("Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) Fact sheet", 2005)

Most magpie geese are found in wet grasslands, swamps, and other marshlands along the coast and rarely stray inland. ("Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) Fact sheet", 2005)

Magpie geese are black on the head, neck, tail, and wings. The rest of the body is white, with orange feet and legs. Magpie geese have only partially webbed feet and the head has a fairly obvious "knob" on it. Juveniles lack this "knob" and the white areas on their bodies are more gray. Females tend to be smaller than males. Their body mass varies between 2 and 3 kg and their length ranges from 70 to 90 cm. The average wingspan is 1.5 meters. ("Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) Fact sheet", 2005; "National Geographic", 2008; "NSW Threatened Species Website", 2005)

Magpie geese sometimes breed in pairs, but they usually breed in groups of three. Each group of three consists of a male and two females. In each trio, the two females are usually related to each other. Magpie geese breed seasonally. Information on mate attracting and mate guarding could not be found. (Kear, 2005; "Animal Bytes", 2008; "Parks and Wildlife Commision of the Northern Territory", 2007; Kear, 2005)

Magpie geese clutch size is between 3 and 8 eggs. They breed seasonally at the end of the wet season (February-June) in the floodplains that they live in. The incubation period varies from 24-35 days and fledgling occurs after about 3 months. To feed their young while they are still in the nests, the parents can bend nearby tall grass so the chicks can eat the seeds. All parents share the responsibility of incubating the eggs and caring for the young. Young are cared for by the parents until the following wet season. Average mass at hatching is 104.2 grams. Sexual maturity occurs at approximately 2 years of age. ("Animal Bytes", 2008; "Discover Life", 2008; "Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) Fact sheet", 2005; "National Geographic", 2008)

Both parents (and the second female when in trios) care for the young. They take turns incubating the eggs as well as providing food and protection for the hatched young. ("Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) Fact sheet", 2005)

Magpie geese can live to be over 32 years in the wild. ("Animal Bytes", 2008)

Magpie geese are social animals, living in flocks. These flocks travel together when migrating between areas during the wet and dry seasons. These geese swim and wade in the swamps and wetlands they inhabit. While raising chicks, they generally live in groups of three, consisting of one male and two females. They may roost in wooded areas. Their call is a loud "honk." ("Discover Life", 2008; "National Geographic", 2008)

During the dry season, magpie geese generally concentrate near the Mary River and the South Alligator River. During the wet season, they may spread to other rivers for breeding. Most movements relate to changes in food availability or breeding habitat. Specific home range sizes are not reported. (Frith and Davies, 1961)

Magpie geese communicate vocally with loud "honks." These geese may shake their wings when feeling threatened or after antagonistic encounters. ("Observations on the Horned Screamer", 1973)

Magpie geese mainly eat swamp grass seeds, blades of dry grasses, and bulbs of spike-rush. They also eat large quantities of wild rice. These geese feed in large, noisy flocks. Parents help their chicks eat by bending down tall grass towards the nest so the chicks can eat the seeds from it. Although they are mainly herbivores, they incidentally ingest occasional small invertebrates. During the dry season, magpie geese must rely on roots and bulbs as their primary source of food. During the wet season, they can switch to grass as their main food. ("Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) Fact sheet", 2005; "Parks and Wildlife Commision of the Northern Territory", 2007; Frith and Davies, 1961)

Eggs and hatchlings are heavily preyed on by birds of prey, dingoes, snakes, and other small, terrestrial predators. Adult magpie geese are rarely preyed on, although they are hunted by humans. (Frith and Davies, 1961)

Magpie geese compete for resources with other seed-eaters in wetlands and act as prey for predators in the same areas. (Frith and Davies, 1961)

Humans hunt magpie geese for sport and for food.

There are no known adverse effects of magpie geese on humans.

In Australia, magpie geese are listed as "secure" (meaning "of least concern"), but each territory also has its own status. Magpie geese are listed as "endangered" in Victoria and South Australia, "secure" in Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, and "vulnerable" in New South Wales. They are considered "least concern" by the IUCN red list. ("Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) Fact sheet", 2005)