Phil Hansbro wrote:
>
> I received a call last night and found out that a fully-winged Canada
> Goose has been inhabiting the mouse of the Shoalhaven River for the
> past 10 days.
>
The bird was large had a clear demarkation between the neck
> and breast, the breast was pale and contrasted with the belly. The
> head had a distinctive profile with a peaked crown somewhat
> reminiscent of a Magpie Goose. >
> Phil Hansbro
Dear Phil,
It would certainly be very exciting if the bird does turn out to be a
Canada Goose.
But I do wonder if you may have seen an escaped domestic Branta species,
the Chinese Goose, whose wild progenitor is the Swan Goose of China.
These sometimes have quite a strongly raised peak to the crown of th
head. Markings are very similar to a rather brown-toned Canada. They are
quite popular as a potential table-bird and as watchdogs - they make a
tremendous fuss when strangers appear, so much so that in the UK they
are kept in the grounds of nuclear power stations!
Wild-type Swan Geese have a rather flat-looking head, sloping back in
almost straight profile from the beak. I don't know if any of them are
kept in Australian collections, but we saw some at Slimbridge in the UK.
Anthea Fleming
I hope your bird does turn out to be a Canada though.
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