What goose in the Netherlands (1 Viewer)

[Lani]

Hi,

Does anyone know what type of geese these are? I saw them today in Amsterdam Noord. Most of them are all white, but a few have grey/dark brown heads.

Or are they ducks?!

Please let me know! Thanks

 

[KC Foggin]

I have no idea Lani but I did want to wish you a warm welcome from those of us on BirdForum

 

[David_]

Domestic geese

 

[Lani]

Domestic geese

Ohh I see, thanks! I've found now the Emden goose, I guess the ones with grey heads are cross-breeds?

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Lani,

welcome to birdforum from me, too!

I agree with David, foresttwitcher and Butty that your bird is a "Domestic Goose". A term used to describe these birds. It incorporates many features/points/informations, well covered in other threads here on BF.

As you have asked for the grey headed birds:
there are two regular "suspects" for this:

• a Grey x Canada Goose hybrid, the most frequest Goose hybrid in central Europe.
• a Greylag x Swan/Chinese Goose hybrid. As Swan Goose or better the domestic form of it is in the ancestry line of "Domestic Goose", I think this is the explanation for the head pattern of (at least the two well visible) grey headed birds.

And please note, that most (at least) Greylag x Canada Goose hybrid with uniform pinkish bills have still some black on the nail/tip. Your birds lacks this completly. Compare: https://as1.ftcdn.net/v2/jpg/02/09/13/96/1000_F_209139664_V9Ekz3bsarJ4EaTOyTXtLIaMYltOFtia.jpg

Conclusion? The grey headed birds are "Domestic Geese", which means in that this case, that the head pattern shows signs of Swan/Chinese Goose in its ancestry line.

I hope this is understandable and correct, I hope for Jörn and others to comment.
And thanks Jörn for your recent detailed comments again!

 

[Lani]

Hello Lani,

welcome to birdforum from me, too!

I agree with David, foresttwitcher and Butty that your bird is a "Domestic Goose". A term used to describe these birds. It incorporates many features/points/informations, well covered in other threads here on BF.

As you have asked for the grey headed birds:
there are two regular "suspects" for this:

• a Grey x Canada Goose hybrid, the most frequest Goose hybrid in central Europe.
• a Greylag x Swan/Chinese Goose hybrid. As Swan Goose or better the domestic form of it is in the ancestry line of "Domestic Goose", I think this is the explanation for the head pattern of (at least the two well visible) grey headed birds.

And please note, that most (at least) Greylag x Canada Goose hybrid with uniform pinkish bills have still some black on the nail/tip. Your birds lacks this completly. Compare: https://as1.ftcdn.net/v2/jpg/02/09/13/96/1000_F_209139664_V9Ekz3bsarJ4EaTOyTXtLIaMYltOFtia.jpg

Conclusion? The grey headed birds are "Domestic Geese", which means in that this case, that the head pattern shows signs of Swan/Chinese Goose in its ancestry line.

I hope this is understandable and correct, I hope for Jörn and others to comment.
And thanks Jörn for your recent detailed comments again!

Hi Alexander,
Thanks very much for that information, it's very understandable and just what I was hoping to find out