Egyptian goose

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Egyptian goose
Alopochen-aegyptiacus.jpg
Calls recorded in 1974 in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Alopochen
Species:
A. aegyptiaca
Binomial name
Alopochen aegyptiaca
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Alopochen aegyptiaca map.svg
Native range of A. aegyptiaca
Synonyms

Anas aegyptiacaLinnaeus, 1766

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is an African member of the Anatidae family including ducks, geese, and swans. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, the species has also been introduced to Europe, the United States and elsewhere outside their natural range. [2] [3] [4] Egyptian geese were regularly represented in ancient Egyptian art. [5]

Contents

Taxonomy

The Egyptian goose is believed to be most closely related to the shelducks (genus Tadorna) and their relatives, and is placed with them in the subfamily Tadorninae. It is the only extant member of the genus Alopochen , which also contains closely related prehistoric and recently extinct species. mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data suggest that the relationships of Alopochen to Tadorna need further investigation. [6]

Etymology

The generic name Alopochen (literally, fox-goose) is based on Greek ἀλωπός (alōpós, also ἀλώπηξalōpēx), "fox", and χήν (chēn) "goose", referring to the ruddy colour of its back. The word χήν : chēn is grammatically of either masculine or feminine gender.

The species name aegyptiacus (or aegyptiaca) is from the Latin Aegyptiacus, "Egyptian". [7]

Description

Adult and goslings Adult-and-egyptian-geese-chicks.jpg
Adult and goslings

It swims well and appears heavy in flight, more like a goose than a duck, hence the English name. [8] On average, they are 63–73 cm (25–29 in) tall.

The sexes of this species are identical in plumage but the males are usually somewhat larger. They vary greatly in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this variation has not been observed to be sex- or age-related. A large part of the wings of mature birds is white, but the white is hidden by the wing coverts when at rest. When it is aroused, either in alarm or aggression, the white is displayed. [9]

Egyptian geese in the wild can live for up to 15 years, while captive individuals have been recorded reaching an age of 35. [10]

The voices and vocalisations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused, as well as a louder, breathy call which is performed in a rapid sequence, sounding somewhat like a steam engine. [11] The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression when tending her young. [12] The male Egyptian goose attracts its mate with an elaborate, noisy courtship display that includes honking, neck stretching and feather displays. [13]

Distribution

The Egyptian goose is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile Valley, where it is widespread and common to abundant, [14] though it has become scarce in the northern Nile Valley. [15] It is found in open or semi-open habitats, typically near fresh water, ranging from lowlands to 4,000 m (13,000 ft) above sea level in the Ethiopian Highlands, and largely absent from dense forests and deserts. [9] [14] While not breeding, it disperses somewhat, sometimes making longer migrations northwards into the arid regions of the Sahel, and occasionally even reaching the North African nations of Algeria and Tunisia, [9] [14] historically a more frequent part of its range. [15]

It was found in southeastern Europe (up to the lower Danube Valley and southern Hungary) until the early 1700s, and in parts of Turkey and the western Middle East until the early 1900s (and has since re-established through escaped captives), but its historical ranges in these places is incompletely known and the reason for the disappearances is also unknown. [14] [15] [16]

Introduced populations

United Kingdom

The British populations of the Egyptian goose date back to the 17th century when it was introduced to estates and parks, [4] [17] though the species was only formally added to the British bird list in 1971. [18] The British introductions were the first outside its native range; however, these individuals did not spread widely and are not known to have expanded into other countries. [4] [17] In Great Britain, it is found mainly in East Anglia, and in various locations along the River Thames, [19] [20] where it breeds at sites with open water, short grass and suitable nesting locations (either islands, holes in old trees or amongst epicormic shoots on old trees). During the winter, they are widely dispersed within river valleys, where they feed on short grass and cereals. [21] [22] In the United Kingdom in 2009, it was officially declared a non-native species. Accordingly, Egyptian geese in Great Britain may be shot without special permission if they cause problems. [23]

Mainland Europe

The Egyptian goose was first introduced to the Netherlands in 1967 and to Belgium in 1982, and these formed the basis for the population in mainland Europe, likely supplemented by some captive escapees from other European countries. [4] [17] From these two countries, the species has experienced a relatively fast range expansion into adjacent countries, first spreading into Germany and France (where possibly supplemented by local escapees) in the mid-1980s, and then to the Czech Republic, Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland in the early 2000s. [4] [17] [24] Further observations, sometimes also involving isolated cases of breeding, have been made in Austria, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and elsewhere in mainland Europe, but it is not yet known to have become established in those countries. [4] [17]

Because of its aggressiveness towards other birds, it may reduce or displace native species, [4] [24] and since 2017 the Egyptian goose has been listed as an invasive species in the European Union. [25] This implies that this species cannot be imported, bred, transported, commercialized, used, exchanged or intentionally released into the environment and member states are obliged to try to eradicate the species. [26]

Elsewhere

In addition to Europe, the Egyptian goose has been introduced and established breeding populations in Mauritius, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. [4] In the US, breeding populations are found in Arkansas, California, Florida, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, with occasional reports of the species elsewhere. [27] [28] [29] Although the Egyptian goose was introduced to Australia and New Zealand, it did not become established in these countries. [29]

Behaviour

This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch on trees and buildings.

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 the eggs. [13] Egyptian geese usually mate for life. Both the male and female care for the offspring until they are old enough to care for themselves. [30] Such parental care, however, does not include foraging for the young, which are able forage for themselves upon hatching.

Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton. As a result, if anoxic conditions lead to the production of botulinum toxin and it gets passed up the food chain via worms and insect larvae insensitive to the toxin, entire clutches of goslings feeding on such prey may die. The parents, who do not eat such organisms to any significant extent, generally remain unaffected.

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding and frequently pursue intruders into the air, attacking them in aerial "dogfights". [12] Egyptian geese have been observed attacking aerial objects such as drones that enter their habitat as well. Neighbouring pairs may even kill another's offspring for their own offsprings' survival, as well as for more resources. [30]

In their native range, predators of Egyptian geese include leopards, [31] lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles and Old World vultures. [32]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goose</span> Common name for a group of waterfowl

A goose is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera Anser and Branta. Some members of the Tadorninae subfamily are commonly called geese, but are not considered "True Geese" taxonomically. More distantly related members of the family Anatidae are swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nene (bird)</span> Species of bird

The nene, also known as the nēnē or the Hawaiian goose, is a species of bird endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The nene is exclusively found in the wild on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, and Hawaiʻi. In 1957, it was designated as the official state bird of the state of Hawaiʻi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greylag goose</span> Species of bird

The greylag goose or graylag goose is a species of large goose in the waterfowl family Anatidae and the type species of the genus Anser. It has mottled and barred grey and white plumage and an orange beak and pink legs. A large bird, it measures between 74 and 91 centimetres in length, with an average weight of 3.3 kilograms. Its distribution is widespread, with birds from the north of its range in Europe and Asia often migrating southwards to spend the winter in warmer places, although many population are resident, even in the north. It is the ancestor of most breeds of domestic goose, having been domesticated at least as early as 1360 BCE. The genus name and specific epithet are from anser, the Latin for "goose".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink-footed goose</span> Species of bird

The pink-footed goose is a goose which breeds in eastern Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, and recently Novaya Zemlya. It is migratory, wintering in northwest Europe, especially Ireland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and western Denmark. The name is often abbreviated in colloquial usage to "pinkfoot". Anser is the Latin for "goose", and brachyrhynchus comes from the ancient Greek brachus "short" and rhunchos "bill".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnacle goose</span> Species of bird

The barnacle goose is a species of goose that belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. Despite its superficial similarity to the brant goose, genetic analysis has shown it is an eastern derivative of the cackling goose lineage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada goose</span> Species of goose native to the Northern Hemisphere

The Canada goose, sometimes called Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is occasionally found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe. It has been introduced to France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands. Like most geese, the Canada goose is primarily herbivorous and normally migratory; often found on or close to fresh water, the Canada goose is also common in brackish marshes, estuaries, and lagoons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tadorninae</span> Subfamily of birds

The Tadorninae is the shelduck-sheldgoose subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as the geese and swans.

<i>Tadorna</i> Genus of birds

The shelducks, most species of which are found in the genus Tadorna, are a group of large birds in the Tadorninae subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as the geese and swans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common shelduck</span> Species of bird

The common shelduck is a waterfowl species of the shelduck genus, Tadorna. It is widespread and common in the Euro-Siberian region of the Palearctic, mainly breeding in temperate and wintering in subtropical regions; in winter, it can also be found in the Maghreb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruddy shelduck</span> Species of bird

The ruddy shelduck, known in India as the Brahminy duck, is a member of the family Anatidae. It is a distinctive waterfowl, 58 to 70 cm in length with a wingspan of 110 to 135 cm. It has orange-brown body plumage with a paler head, while the tail and the flight feathers in the wings are black, contrasting with the white wing-coverts. It is a migratory bird, wintering in the Indian subcontinent and breeding in southeastern Europe and central Asia, though there are small resident populations in North Africa. It has a loud honking call.

The British avifauna is the birds that have occurred in Great Britain. This article is a general discussion of the topic. A full species list can be found at List of birds of Great Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Barren goose</span> Species of bird

The Cape Barren goose, sometimes also known as the pig goose, is a species of goose endemic to southern Australia. It is a distinctive large, grey bird that is mostly terrestrial and is not closely related to other extant members of the subfamily Anserinae.

<i>Alopochen</i> Genus of birds

Alopochen is a genus of the bird family Anatidae, part of the subfamily Tadorninae along with the shelducks. It contains one extant species, the Egyptian goose, and two or three species which became extinct in the last 1,000 years or so. The Egyptian goose is native to mainland Africa, and the extinct species are from Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South African shelduck</span> Species of bird

The South African shelduck or Cape shelduck is a species of shelduck, a group of large goose-like birds which are part of the bird family Anatidae, which also includes the swans, geese and ducks. This is a common species native to southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cackling goose</span> Species of bird

The cackling goose is a species of goose found in North America and East Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brant (goose)</span> Species of bird

The brant or brent goose is a small goose of the genus Branta. There are three subspecies, all of which winter along temperate-zone sea-coasts and breed on the high-Arctic tundra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mauritius sheldgoose</span> Extinct species of bird

The Mauritius sheldgoose, also known as the Mauritius shelduck, is an extinct species of sheldgoose that was endemic to the island of Mauritius. While geese were mentioned by visitors to Mauritius in the 17th century, few details were provided by these accounts. In 1893, a carpometacarpus wing-bone and a pelvis from the Mare aux Songes swamp were used to name a new species of comb duck, Sarcidiornis mauritianus. These bones were connected to the contemporary accounts of geese and later determined to belong to a species related to the Egyptian goose and placed in the sheldgoose genus Alopochen. The Mauritius and Réunion sheldgoose may have descended from Egyptian geese that colonised the Mascarene islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black sparrowhawk</span> Species of bird

The black sparrowhawk, sometimes known as the black goshawk or great sparrowhawk, is the largest species of True hawk in Africa. It occurs mainly in forest and non-desert areas south of the Sahara, particularly where there are large trees suitable for nesting; favored habitat includes suburban and human-altered landscapes. It preys predominantly on birds of moderate size, such as pigeons and doves, in suburban areas.

Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary is a 10-hectare (25-acre) protected area in Cape Town, located on the Liesbeek river near the suburb of Observatory.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2018). "Alopochen aegyptiaca". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22679993A131910647. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22679993A131910647.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Dohner, Janet V. (2001). The Encyclopedia of Historic and Endangered Livestock and Poultry Breeds. Yale University Press. ISBN   978-0300138139.
  3. ↑ Braun, D.G. (2004). "First documented nesting in the wild of Egyptian Geese in Florida" (PDF). Florida Field Naturalist. 32 (4): 138–143. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Huysentruyt, F.; Callahan, C.T.; Stubbe, D.; Winston, K.; Adriaens, T.; Brooks, D.M. (2020). "Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegypticaca, Linnaeus, 1766)". In Downs, C.T.; L.A. Hart (eds.). Invasive Birds: Global Trends and Impacts. CABI International. pp. 206–212. ISBN   978-1-78924-206-5.
  5. ↑ Houlihan, Patrick F. (2023-09-30). The Birds of Ancient Egypt. Oxbow Books. ISBN   979-8-88857-029-6.
  6. ↑ Sraml, M.; Christidis, L.; Easteal, S.; Horn, P.; Collet, C. (1996). "Molecular Relationships Within Australasian Waterfowl (Anseriformes)". Australian Journal of Zoology. 44 (1): 47–58. doi:10.1071/ZO9960047.
  7. ↑ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  33, 42. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  8. ↑ "What characteristics distinguish Egyptian Geese?". Archived from the original on 16 June 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 Madge, Steve; Burn, Hilary (1988). Waterfowl: An Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World . Boston: Houghton Mifflin. pp.  170–171. ISBN   978-0-395-46727-5.
  10. ↑ "Egyptian Goose". Lehigh Valley Zoo. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  11. ↑ "Egyptian Goose - Nord University Bird ID".
  12. 1 2 MacLean, Gordon L.; Roberts, Austin (1988). Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. Hyperion Books. ISBN   978-1-85368-037-3.
  13. 1 2 "Egyptian Goose Fact Sheet". Lincoln Park Zoo. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Carboneras, C. (1992). "Egyptian Goose". In del Hoyo, J.; A. Elliott; J. Sargatal (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World . Vol. I. Lynx Edicions. p. 589. ISBN   84-87334-10-5.
  15. 1 2 3 Gyimesi, A.; Lensink, R. (30 September 2010). "Risk analysis of the Egyptian Goose in the Netherlands" (PDF). Bureau Waardenburg bv. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  16. ↑ Marchant, J. (2022). "Alopochen aegyptiaca (Egyptian goose)". CABI Digital Library. doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.94205 . Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 Gyimesi, A.; Lensink, R. (2012). "Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca: an introduced species spreading in and from the Netherlands". Wildfowl. 62: 128–145.
  18. ↑ Holloway, Simon (2010). The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1875-1900. A & C Black. ISBN   9781408128664.
  19. ↑ "Specieswatch: Egyptian goose". the Guardian. 2014-05-25. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  20. ↑ "Illuminated River's New Sacred Friends". Illuminated River. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  21. ↑ Sutherland, W. J.; Allport, G. (1991-07-01). "The distribution and ecology of naturalized Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiacus in Britain". Bird Study. 38 (2): 128–134. doi: 10.1080/00063659109477080 . ISSN   0006-3657.
  22. ↑ "Egyptian goose". RSPB. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  23. ↑ McCarthy, Michael (30 September 2009). "Britain's naturalised parrot now officially a pest". The Independent. London. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  24. 1 2 Mazurska, K.; Solarz, W. (2016). "Risk Assessment of Egyptian goose Alopochen aegyptiacus" (PDF). European Union. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  25. ↑ "List of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern - Environment - European Commission". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  26. ↑ "REGULATION (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European parliament and of the council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species". Archived from the original on 2017-03-03.
  27. ↑ "Egyptian Goose". Audubon . 2017-11-14. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  28. ↑ Clark, Gary (2011-11-04). "Non-native Egyptian geese proliferating in Texas". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  29. 1 2 Chesbro, C. (2015). Distribution of the Egyptian Goose (Alopochen Aegyptiacus) in Northwestern Arkansas and in the United States of America (Thesis). University of Arkansas. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  30. 1 2 "Egyptian Goose". Honolulu Zoo. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012.
  31. ↑ "This goose feigns injury to save its chicks from a leopard". Animals. 2018-12-04. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  32. ↑ Tattan, Anna. "Alopochen aegyptiaca (Egyptian goose)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
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