Brett Richards
Well-known member
The attached photos taken in fog today at Water Lane, Flamborough, show what I believe is a 2nd generation hybrid - a Greylag x (Greylag x Canada Goose) hybrid. If so then that obviously means that Greylag x Canada Goose hybrids can be fertile.
My reasons for thinking this is a 2nd generation hybrid are fourfold. I have seen and photographed many Greylag x Canada hybrids, and today’s bird differed from all those 1st generation hybrids as follows.
a) The (pinkish) bill was totally unmarked. Variable in 1st generation hybrids, but if pale, always with at least some dark markings.
b) The tail was dark grey/blackish with a white fringe, as opposed to all black.
c) The greater coverts were more than half the length of the secondary exposure, as opposed to a similar length or a little shorter. (Canadas have short greater coverts and a long secondary exposure, while Greylags have long greater coverts and a short secondary exposure).
d) The pale face patch is much subdued compared to a 1st generation hybrid.
In 2016 at Flamborough a Greylag x Canada hybrid appeared to be paired with a Greylag. I presumed the hybrid was the product of a male Greylag and a female Canada Goose, which pair bred at Flamborough for a few years and produced offspring each year; therefore a ‘Granada’ and not a ‘Canalag’. I wondered what the outcome of this pairing would be, but no breeding activity was observed. What seemed to be the same pair reappeared in 2017, and on 17 April the presumed Granada began incubating. After a prolonged period however, the nest was deserted, revealing a large clutch of infertile eggs. This was what I expected, as I didn’t think such a cross genus hybrid would be fertile, but today’s sighting seems to show there can be exceptions.
Comments welcome on the ID of the hybrid or on the fertility of cross genus hybrids.
Brett
My reasons for thinking this is a 2nd generation hybrid are fourfold. I have seen and photographed many Greylag x Canada hybrids, and today’s bird differed from all those 1st generation hybrids as follows.
a) The (pinkish) bill was totally unmarked. Variable in 1st generation hybrids, but if pale, always with at least some dark markings.
b) The tail was dark grey/blackish with a white fringe, as opposed to all black.
c) The greater coverts were more than half the length of the secondary exposure, as opposed to a similar length or a little shorter. (Canadas have short greater coverts and a long secondary exposure, while Greylags have long greater coverts and a short secondary exposure).
d) The pale face patch is much subdued compared to a 1st generation hybrid.
In 2016 at Flamborough a Greylag x Canada hybrid appeared to be paired with a Greylag. I presumed the hybrid was the product of a male Greylag and a female Canada Goose, which pair bred at Flamborough for a few years and produced offspring each year; therefore a ‘Granada’ and not a ‘Canalag’. I wondered what the outcome of this pairing would be, but no breeding activity was observed. What seemed to be the same pair reappeared in 2017, and on 17 April the presumed Granada began incubating. After a prolonged period however, the nest was deserted, revealing a large clutch of infertile eggs. This was what I expected, as I didn’t think such a cross genus hybrid would be fertile, but today’s sighting seems to show there can be exceptions.
Comments welcome on the ID of the hybrid or on the fertility of cross genus hybrids.
Brett