Unknown Goose, El Dorado, CA 18 Jan 2019 (1 Viewer)

My niece took this picture of a goose that was with a larger group of Canada Geese. Not a great shot and I've cropped it significantly. More white on the face and in the wrong pattern than Canada Geese, and she said it had pink legs.

In the attached picture, it is the goose in front.

I sent her some likely links (before she sent this picture) and she ruled out Egyptian Goose and White Fronted Goose, which looking at the picture she got I tend to agree with.

Thanks,

A hybrid between Canada Goose and domesticated Greylag Goose ("Canalag") :t:

If the leg colour wasnt mentioned I would have said this is a pure Canada, they can rarley have white faces like your bird.

But: I havent seen a pure Canada Goose with pink legs and: I often find the pale (pinkish, flesh, rarely yellowish-dark ) legs one of the first things that makes a Canada x Greylag standing out in a flock of Canada Geese. So, as I have only seen less then ten or so Canada Geese with very slightly paler coloured legs (still mainly dark), I think Nutcracker is right with his identification by leg colour alone.

But, as Im very interested in this topic (its a very variable Hybridtype and the most common in Germany and therefore the default option when you see a Goosehybrid), I would be interested in other opinions from more expert birders than me.

The most similar bird to yours I have seen is this one: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3whx2q18asy2pgv/München 20.7.14 (7).JPG?dl=0
It was paired with a Canada Goose and they were followed by a young bird which they defended against dogs.

Thanks for the information. This was a confusing one. If she sends me a better picture, I’ll add it to this thread, but I think this will do for now. Thanks again.

Nutcracker said:

A hybrid between Canada Goose and domesticated Greylag Goose ("Canalag") :t:

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Or 'Granada'. A very common hybrid in Britain.

Brett

Brett Richards said:

Or 'Granada'. A very common hybrid in Britain.

Brett

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Sounds much better than the awful canalag!

aeshna5 said:

Sounds much better than the awful canalag!

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But they are awful things . . . so Canalag stands 3

A 'Canalag' is a cross between a male Canada Goose and a female Greylag (or Greylag-type), whereas a 'Granada' is a cross between a male Greylag and a female Canada. Of course if you don't know the parents you can't tell one from the other (as far as I know anyway).

And I can't agree that they are awful things. I love 'em.

Brett