Head to head
Southern Screamer vs Upland Goose
Southern Screamer
VS Upland Goose
Both are large, herbivorous birds associated with open habitat, but their calls, ranges, and taxonomic relationships differ.
| Southern Screamer | Upland Goose | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Chauna torquata | Chloephaga picta |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Stable | Increasing |
| Taxonomic relationship | Distantly related to true waterfowl | A true goose |
| Notable feature | Trumpeting call audible for kilometres | Striking difference between the sexes |
| Range | Central South America | Patagonia and the Falkland Islands |
| Defence | Sharp spurs on the wings | No comparable weapon documented |
| Habitat | Wetlands, grassland | Grassland, coastal |
Southern Screamer vs Upland Goose: common questions
Which bird is a true goose?
The upland goose is, while the southern screamer instead belongs to a family only distantly related to true waterfowl despite its large, goose-like body.
Which bird has a louder, more distinctive call?
The southern screamer does, producing a trumpeting call audible for several kilometres, among the loudest calls of any South American bird.
Which bird is sometimes considered an agricultural pest?
The upland goose is, having become numerous enough in some farming areas to compete with livestock for pasture grass, a reputation the southern screamer does not share.