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Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiacus

Description:

The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley, and has been introduced to parts of Western Europe. Egyptian Geese were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. It swims well, and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. It is 63–73 cm long. The sexes of this striking species are identical in plumage, though the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex or age related. A large part of the wings of mature birds is white, but in repose the white is hidden by the wing coverts. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white begins to show. In flight or when the wings are fully spread in aggression the white is conspicuous. The voices and vocalisations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young. Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial "dogfights".

Habitat:

This species breeds widely in Africa except in deserts and dense forests, and is locally abundant. They are found mostly in the Nile Valley and south of the Sahara. It has also been introduced elsewhere: Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Texas in the US have self-sustaining feral populations. The British population dates back to the 18th century, though only formally added to the British list in 1971. In Britain, it is found mainly in East Anglia, in parkland with lakes. It was officially declared a pest in the U.K. in 2009. This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses, and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. They are extremely territorial and often fight with other pairs for a breeding ground. Neighbouring pairs may even kill another's offspring for their own offsprings' survival as well as for more resources. This species will nest in a large variety of situations, especially in holes in mature trees in parkland. The female builds the nest from reeds, leaves and grass, and both parents take turns incubating eggs. Egyptian Geese usually pair for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves.

Notes:

An article was written in The Houston Chronicle a year ago. ( http://www.chron.com/life/article/Non-na... ) It commented that these were not seen as a threat to the native Texas Parks and Wildlife and that they were adjusting well with the Mallards and other small duck. These today were seen with many different geese and Mallards. All seemed to be functioning and communicating as well as a tightly knit community. *** Found today at the Bandera City Park on the Medina River. ***

1 Species ID Suggestions

egyptian goose
Alopochen aegyptiacus


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6 Comments

nexttogone
nexttogone 11 years ago

Hello flynn.jeannette ") Great question...

flynn.jeannette
flynn.jeannette 11 years ago

Why is it called an Egyptian goose when you saw it in Texas?

nexttogone
nexttogone 11 years ago

Thank you Adarsha, Antonio, Matt, Leana, Agnes andChristy. I'm glad that you all like it.

Adarsha B S
Adarsha B S 11 years ago

Lovely spotting!

nexttogone
nexttogone 11 years ago

Thank you, PerilsOfPlastic and auntnance123. ") That was interesting to learn about.

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

lovely ,togone!
Egyptian goose. Eyepatch says it all.

nexttogone
Spotted by
nexttogone

Bandera, Texas, USA

Spotted on Nov 18, 2012
Submitted on Nov 19, 2012

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