The cotton pygmy goose is a small, duck-like bird. Although they are popularly seen in India, their numbers are declining in the Northeastern states, where we don’t see them often.
Cotton pygmy goose is mostly white in colour, with a peculiar black collar. They choose to live in fresh water lakes, lagoons and paddy fields which have plenty of vegetation nearby. Seeds, grasses, aquatic plants and water lilies constitute their main diet.
We can also see these birds perching on the bare branches near the water bodies. These birds do not like solitude and hence are often seen in groups or in small flocks.
They make nests in tree holes, in which you can see 6 to 12 eggs.
The Chinese variety of cotton pygmy geese is migratory. They travel long distances during winter. However, the Indian cotton pygmy geese do not migrate.
