Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis

The taxonomic position of this unique species is unclear but it is usually either treated as a member of the same subfamily as the Shelducks (Tadorninae) or in its own subfamily, Plectropterinae.

According to Dowsett-Lemaire and Dowsett (The Birds of Malawi) Spur-winged Goose is monotypic, the race niger being only dubiously recognised, however most authorities seem to regard niger as clearly distinct from nominate gambensis with several differences cited.

The limited extent of white on the belly (at least on one), the reduced bare skin on the face and the absence of a cranial knob point to these captive birds being of the southern form niger or from the overlap zone.

captive Spur-winged Geese, Martin Mere (Lancashire, UK), 26th December 2014

According to the Helm guide to Wildfowl (Madge & Burn, 1988) the nominate race gambensis occupies the majority of the species' sub-Saharan range and race niger occupies southern Africa north to the Zambezi, but there is a large overlap zone. Malawi is north of the Zambezi, although on the river Shire which flows into the Zambezi in Mozambique. It is presumably in the overlap zone, and indeed some individuals I saw there looked close to niger while others had significantly more white on the belly, more white on the face and a prominent cranial knob.

Spur-winged Geese, Liwonde (Malawi), 25th September 2008

Spur-winged Geese, Liwonde (Malawi), 24th September 2008

Spur-winged Geese, Liwonde (Malawi), 26th May 2011

Spur-winged Goose, Liwonde (Malawi), 23rd September 2008