Snow goose experts, please (1 Viewer)

Joern Lehmhus · Apr 18, 2006

Hi all, attached are 2 pics of a goose that has been controversially discussed on a German forum (Club 300,to be precise).

Some people think this is a blue morph Snow goose, others think that this is a hybrid.

I would like all of you who give their opinion also to describe why it is this or that in your opinion.

Many Thanks and Best Regards

Jörn

affe22 · Apr 18, 2006

It looks like a blue phase snow goose to me but there are much better people who will answer.

John Marshall · Apr 18, 2006

Looks like a Lesser Snow goose - Blue phase, typical adult.

derekjake · Apr 18, 2006

I Go With The Wild Goose Man Lesser Snow Goose, Blue Phase.

Stephen Dunstan · Apr 18, 2006

There was a similar bird in Lancashire a few years back with the dark running up the top of the head that was considered to be a pure Snow Goose.

Stephen.

harryabbott · Apr 18, 2006

I say blue phase snow goose also. Had one a number of years ago on lake in front of us in NI that attracted a lot of attention. Looked just like this one.

Rich Bonser · Apr 19, 2006

Link unuseable

Hi there

Sorry to p**s on everybody's chips but I'm slightly unconvinced that this is a blue phase Snow Goose although my experience in the field is confined to only a few examples in the British Isles.

Although I'm not disputing the fact that blue morph Snow Geese can show dark running up from the nape and onto the otherwise white crown (as per Stephen Dunstan), I am more than concerned about the noticeable darker neck sock contrasting with the rather brown toned mantle and flanks - note the prominent demarcation line especially on the photo of the bird feeding and facing left. And surely those wing-coverts should be pale grey as opposed to concolourous with the mantle?

Certainly an interesting bird and by no means clear cut - have a look at the link http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/search.cgi and look at Eoin Jennings 'Snow Goose' taken on Islay on 9 April 2004. A similar individual but with much more extensive grey on the wing-coverts.

The debate goes on...

Cheers

Rich

Edit: the link above does not work so do a search on Surfbirds of Snow Goose photos taken in Britain and Ireland

J Jones · Apr 19, 2006

What about the darker markings round the eye? Can this be a feature of blue-morph Snow Geese?

Joern Lehmhus · Apr 19, 2006

The dark neck sock and the brownish tinge were points of concern... to fuel discussion see a collage of Blue phase Snow Geese...

Vinch · Apr 19, 2006

Joern Lehmhus said:
The dark neck sock and the brownish tinge were points of concern... to fuel discussion see a collage of Blue phase Snow Geese...

Hello Joern,

How are you?

I think that this bird is a dark blue phase snow goose for me, Joern...

There are several shades in blue phase: more or less dark, more or less bluish/brownish tinge (but never true 'brown' as in grey geese), more or less extension of white (from head and/or from belly,...)

I saw at Zoo of Clères, France a 'spectacle' pure blue phase lesser snow goose...

Please find attached to this reply some photos of this blue goose, taken in november 2005 at Clères. Sorry for the poor quality of these photos, because in november, near 05.00 PM, night was beginning...

Joern Lehmhus · Apr 20, 2006

Hi Vinch, nice to hear from you! I´m fine , thanks (Just loads of work that´s why I have been here less often). And you?

Your "spectacled" snow goose seems similar to two birds in my photo collage , although the spot of your bird is bigger. Interesting Bird!

Hi Rich,
your link to the picture at surfbirds does not work for me! Any other possibility to see the bird?

To compare the original bird also with probable Snow x Canada Hybrids, I did another collage; attached here:

John Marshall · Apr 21, 2006

At the end of the day I am still convinced it is a Blue phase snow goose. There is I have been informed many slight variations.

Vinch · Apr 22, 2006

And about this one pictured (first and second photos) at this link?
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/nov99.htm
Very brownish appearance and it is said that this goose had some domestic ancestry... (in a zoo, along time ago, I saw some "frizzled" snow gose, issued from three or four generations issued from a hybrid couple Sebastopol frizzled goose X Snowgoose)

Vinch · Apr 23, 2006

Hello,

And what about these geese?

The first one is an emperor goose X Snow goose, which may be wrongly identified as pure blue snowgoose...

The second one (two pics) was identified as blue snowgoose in the website I took these photos... But I think that this bird would have some bar-headed goose genes...

Whhat would your opinion be?

Joern Lehmhus · Apr 24, 2006

Hi Vinch,
concerning the bird in your mail from saturday,I agree it looks odd for a snowgoose, but it is also oddly brownish for any hybrid with domestic greylag....I am afraid I am not sure what that is.

On the first pic in the mailfrom yesterday,I also see this as an emperor x snow goose. The overall structure, the bill and the scaly looking pattern say Emperor is involved, while the white belly ,the leg coloration and the tertial pattern hint to snow goose involvement.
On the second and third pic in that mail I would also think this could be barhead x snow goose, especially if the attached goose had some yellowish tones to the bill as it seems in the last photo
and as it is with the Bird attached here.

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