Magpie Goose - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Anseranas semipalmata

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 04 Oct 2018

Description

The Magpie Goose is a large, distinctive black and white water-bird (from 70 - 90 cm long) with a prominent knob on the head, and orange legs. It is black at each 'end' - head, neck and upper chest, plus rump and tail - with white body and wings in between. Immature birds have no head-knob and their white parts are mottled grey or brown. It is not a duck or goose, but is regarded as a primitive relative of them.

Distribution

The Magpie Goose is still relatively common in the Australian northern tropics, but had disappeared from south-east Australia by 1920 due to drainage and overgrazing of reed swamps used for breeding. Since the 1980s there have been an increasing number of records in central and northern NSW. Vagrants can follow food sources to south-eastern NSW.

Habitat and ecology

Mainly found in shallow wetlands (less than 1 m deep) with dense growth of rushes or sedges.
Equally at home in aquatic or terrestrial habitats; often seen walking and grazing on land; feeds on grasses, bulbs and rhizomes.
Activities are centred on wetlands, mainly those on floodplains of rivers and large shallow wetlands formed by run-off; breeding can occur in both summer and winter dominated rainfall areas and is strongly influenced by water level; most breeding now occurs in monsoonal areas; nests are formed in trees over deep water; breeding is unlikely in south-eastern NSW.
Often seen in trios or flocks on shallow wetlands, dry ephemeral swamps, wet grasslands and floodplains; roosts in tall vegetation.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Inappropriate hydrological regimes of wetland habitats through drainage of swamps, ponds, dams and other wetlands for agricultural and other human purposes.
Degradation of habitat through water pollution (e.g. salinity, chemicals, eutrophication).
Modification of habitat and nest loss from trampling and overgrazing.
Fox predation on eggs and goslings.
Too-frequent burning of wetlands.
Competition with feral pigs for food such as tubers.
Lack of knowledge of threats
Monitoring is required to assess the species population trends over time.
Monitoring is required to assess the severity of threats.
Disturbance of commercial activities to breeding and foraging habitat

Recovery strategies

A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.

Activities to assist this species

Undertake predator control in known wetland breeding sites.
Protect habitat from fire.
Protect wetlands from water pollution by reducing the use of chemicals, monitoring of salinity levels and nutrient loading near wetlands.
Maintain or restore natural flow regimes in wetlands.
Protect known or potential wetland habitats from grazing.

Information sources

Marchant, S. and Higgins P.J. (Eds) (1990) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 1: Ratites to Ducks. (Oxford University Press, Melbourne)
Murray Catchment Management Authority and Office of Environment and Heritage (2012) New South Wales Murray Biodiversity Management Plan: A guide to terrestrial biodiversity investment priorities in the central and eastern NSW Murray catchment. (Murray CMA, Albury)
Pringle, J.D. (1985) The Waterbirds of Australia. (Angus and Robertson Publishers, Sydney)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Brigalow Belt South	Liverpool Plains	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Moonie-Barwon Interfluve	Predicted	None
Brigalow Belt South	Narrandool	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Northern Outwash	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Pilliga Outwash	Known	None
Brigalow Belt South	Talbragar Valley	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Canbelego Downs	Known	None
Cobar Peneplain	Lachlan Plains	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Bogan-Macquarie	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Castlereagh-Barwon	Known	None
Darling Riverine Plains	Warrambool-Moonie	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	White Cliffs Plateau	Known	None
Nandewar	Peel	Known	None
New England Tablelands	Armidale Plateau	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Hunter	Known	Within 10 km of Seaham Nature Reserve
NSW South Western Slopes	Inland Slopes	Known	None
NSW South Western Slopes	Lower Slopes	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Manning Shelf	Known	None
Ocean - Other State	Northern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Other State	ACT	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
Other State	SA	Known	None
Other State	VIC	Known	None
Riverina	Lachlan	Known	None
Riverina	Murray Fans	Known	None
Riverina	Murrumbidgee	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Bathurst	Known	None
South Eastern Highlands	Hill End	Predicted	None
South Eastern Queensland	Burringbar-Conondale Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Sandstones	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Sunshine Coast-Gold Coast Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Woodenbong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Hunter	Known	East of Cessnock
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None

Sounds

Images

Magpie Geese wading in wetlands. Image 1 of 5.
View slideshow.

Related information

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