Check out Australia Zoo’s Magpie Goose!

Take a stroll through Grace’s Bird Garden, home to some of the most extraordinary birds on the planet, including the magnificent magpie goose!

The magpie goose inhabits floodplains and wetlands throughout coastal northern and eastern Australia! They are identified by their contrasting black and white body, orange legs and crowned head.  Male geese have a large knob on the top of their head making them easily identified from the females.  Quite unique amongst water birds, they have only partially webbed feet and will spend the daylight hours in search of aquatic vegetation to eat, their favourite being wild rice!

Magpie geese will form solid, life-long relationships and breed from February to June. The male will construct a secluded nest close to wetlands, usually on floating reed beds, in preparation for the female to lay up to 16 eggs! Most often they are found in trios – two girls and a boy.  Both sexes will share the responsibility of incubating and raising their young. Crikey!