Barnacle Goose or Hybrid (NE Scotland, October) (1 Viewer)

[Teamscotch]

I'm curious if this goose which spent some days locally at Donmouth Aberdeen is considered within the variation of pure Barnacle or not, or if a hybrid with e.g. Cackling Goose should be considered?

It looked very much like a Barnacle to me but the eyestripe is far more prominent then I can recall seeing before. Thanks for any thoughts...

 

[Ratal]

Looks fine to me.

 

[aeshna5]

And to me.

 

[Teamscotch]

Thanks both, that seems to be the consensus of opinion elsewhere too. That's my view too btw. It's presumably at the extreme end of variation - I haven't found an internet picture of a pure bird that matches the head pattern of this one yet but it is matched by pictures of obvious hybrids. It maybe would have been more fun, but meaner if I had just posted this view!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
interesting bird! Tfs!

Although I havent found an image during a quick search too, I have seen a handful of similar Barnacles and had similar thoghts:

• they had a head pattern vaguely reminiscent of a Canada Goose
• although variable, the upperparts seemed to be darker and more contrastingly patterned

And like you I considered influnce from a Canada Goose (including closely related forms) but because I have seen a few now, I think its just varaition?

I hope for more comments. Thanks!

 

[Ratal]

A long while back now, I was chatting to a fellow about Greenland's Barnacle Geese. Wish i'd saved his details as he had some incredible variables in the flocks.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

To me this looks like Banacle goose in all other respects, so this could well be a barnacle goose at the extreme dark end of variation.

Canada x barnacle or cackling x barnacle or backcrosses of such birds to barnacle goose can show a similar head pattern , but in such hybrids other features are also changed ...

Like in these birds:

https://waarneming.nl/media/photo/45735822.jpg

https://waarneming.nl/media/photo/63590416.jpg

https://waarneming.nl/media/photo/62963155.jpg

But if there are enough generations back, a bird may show only one trait that could hint to a hybrid.... however this could not be proven by photos alone....