The Spur-winged Goose is a large bird in the family Anatidae, related to geese and shelducks, but anatomically distinct from both. It is therefore placed in its own subfamily, the Plectropterinae. Its name comes from the spur on the bend of its wing which the bird uses to defend its territory. It is the largest African waterfowl and, on average, the world's largest wild "goose".