Basic Goose ID (1 Viewer)

markyb2

Mark

• Feb 8, 2006

• #1

Goose ID

Just want to check that one of these geese pictured is a barnacle goose amongst the canada geese.

 

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  Lower Test Nature Reserve and Testwood Lakes 15th May 2005 087a.jpg

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Last edited: Feb 8, 2006

W

Woodchatshrike

Registered User

• Feb 8, 2006

• #2

Hard to tell but I think it is just a Canada goose with a white face. You do get some freaky looking birds from time to time. Sometimes due to interbreeding.

 

Capercaillie71

Well-known member

• Feb 8, 2006

• #3

Woodchatshrike said:

I think it is just a Canada goose with a white face.

Click to expand...

Seems the most likely explanation. If it was a barnacle, surely its back would be black, like its neck, and not brown.

 

Ian Bell

Registered User

Supporter

• Feb 8, 2006

• #4

Going by size and plumage,I would say it is a "freakish" Canada Goose.

 

jcwings

Well-known member

• Feb 8, 2006

• #5

Agreed. Barnacle has a black upper breast. This bird has a black neck stocking like that of the others.

 

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Feb 8, 2006

• #6

It is also clearly not a hybrid Canada (or Cackling) x Barnacle Goose. While the head pattern can vary quite a lot and is often very Canada like, the blackish breast of Barnacle Goose is expressed in all such hybrids I have seen in life or on photos
-see attached collage from hybrid pictures from the web.

So your bird is just a leucistic Canada goose...

 

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  Barnacle x canada or cackling hybrids-headpattern.jpg

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Timberdoodler

Active member

• Feb 8, 2006

• #7

Definitely an odd Canada Goose. I've never seen any with that feature before.

Thanks for sharing.