Spur-winged Goose

The Spur-winged Goose, (Plectropterus gambensis), is a large bird in the family Anatidae, related to the geese and the shelducks, but distinct from both of these in a number of anatomical features, and therefore treated in its own subfamily, the Plectropterinae. It occurs in wetlands throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Adults are 75-115 cm (30-45 in) long and weigh on average 4-6.8 kg (8.8-15 lbs), and sometimes up to 7 kg (22 lbs), with males much larger than the females. They are the largest African waterfowl and are, on average, the world’s largest “goose”. They are mainly black, with a white face and large white wing patches. The long legs are flesh-coloured.