Cotton pygmy goose

Cotton Teal at Bronx Zoo.

The Cotton Pygmy Goose or Cotton Teal (Nettapus coromandelianus) is a small Perching duck which breeds in Asia. They are among the smallest waterfowl in the world and are found in small to large waterbodies with good aquatic vegetation. They are usually seen in pairs or larger groups of pairs, roosting and nesting on trees near water. They are strong fliers and are known to disperse widely, especially in winter. Their breeding season coincides with the rains. This species is widely distributed across much of Southern Asia, its distribution extending to Australasia. Some populations disperse further in summer (and are found only seasonally, for instance in Afghanistan and Pakistan's Balochistan province). Winter dispersal is also wide and individuals have been seen as far west as Arabia, and Jordan They are found especially in lakes and ponds with emergent vegetation amid which they forage. They can be found even in small village ponds in Pakistan.

In culture

They were hunted with shotguns especially in the former British India, although they were not considered particularly good eating. Eggs were collected for food and the birds were sold in large numbers in the birds markets of Calcutta in the 19th century. In Pakistan it is considered as the "National Aquatic bird of Pakistan", because of its Pan-Pakistani Patriotic Colours respectively.