This goose was hanging out with the Canada Geese near the Chadwick Bay Harbor in Dunkirk. It looks like it may be a hybrid of some type. Anyone out there know for sure what it is?
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I received a very informed response in my email and am posting it here with the writer's permission. Thank you Joe!
ReplyDeleteMy guess is you have a cross between 2 species - Greylag Goose (Anser anser) and the Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides). Both have domestic strains.
Most barnyard geese, such as Emden, Toulouse, Pilgrim etc are derived from the Greylag Goose. Chinese and African geese are descended from the Swan Goose.
The bird you have photographed has has a dark strip running down the back of the neck that is pretty typical of Brown Chinese and African Geese. It also has a bit of a bulge at the top of the bill - both African and Chinese Geese have substantial knobs on their foreheads. The general body shape seems to lean a little more toward a domestic Greylag of some sort.
Chinese and Africans have a slightly more erect stance, whereas other domestic geese hold themselves a bit more horizontally. Perhaps the easiest way to compare them would be by doing a quick Google image search.
One more thing - I would expect a Canada x Domestic goose to have some dark pigmentation on the bill and bare parts - this does not seem to be the case with this bird.
Joe Fell
Buffalo, NY