Goose question

[The Black Rabbit]

I'm sure M1carson, agc etc... will have seen our resident (escaped from Child Beale park probably) BARNACLE GOOSE on the Thames at Reading.
It can fly, and can leave but has chosen to stay, like a few other "exotic" wildfowl species on this stretch of the river - Carolina Wood Duck, Mandarin, Egyptian Goose etc...

This year however, it seems pretty clear that this particular goose has bred with an "urban" Grey(lag) goose and produced quite strange looking offspring - half look grey(lag) in colouration and half look like a cross between grey(lag) and barnacle.

Is cross breeding between different species of goose (other than different forms of grey /white etc...) common, in or out of captivity?
I know they're pretty randy, but its the first barnacle/grey(lag) cross I've ever seen....

TBR

[ron1863]

There are two main types of domestic geese. The first are thought to have their origins in Europe, descendants of the wild Greylag goose (Anser anser) and the second are thought to have their origins in Asia, descendants of the wild Swan goose (Anser cygnoides).
Crosses between the domestic breeds which have originated from these two species of wild geese are fertile and in fact have resulted in a number of recognised breeds.
Over the centuries many countries, and even regions within countries, have developed their own breeds and types of geese. But although there is a large pool of genetic material available for the genetic improvement of the domestic goose, it appears to have been relatively under-utilised.

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by ron1863

There are two main types of domestic geese. The first are thought to have their origins in Europe, descendants of the wild Greylag goose (Anser anser) and the second are thought to have their origins in Asia, descendants of the wild Swan goose (Anser cygnoides).
Crosses between the domestic breeds which have originated from these two species of wild geese are fertile and in fact have resulted in a number of recognised breeds.
Over the centuries many countries, and even regions within countries, have developed their own breeds and types of geese. But although there is a large pool of genetic material available for the genetic improvement of the domestic goose, it appears to have been relatively under-utilised.

Thanks Ron1863.
But what about a goose that is a barnacle goose (clearly) and what I call a Grey(lag) goose?
First I've seen this happening...

TBR

[Jason Green]

TBR - can you post a pic of it? It sounds quite interesting!

[Gill Catton]

well I have seen numerous canada greylag crosses and I have seen a clear barnacle hybrid though its parentage was uncertain....

So it does happen outside of captivity - but these are birds that don't ever get to reach their native breeding territory where they would be amongst their own and geograpically or socially separated from other species. So this is is unlikely to happen with truly wild birds (which have gone back to their breeding territories) as upposed to feral birds (or perhaps damaged birds unable to fly back to breeding grounds) like the barnacles and greylags that are here in the summer.

Hormones are very powerful things no doubt about that!!

[Gill Catton]

Plus although many of these birds are fully winged and 'able to choose to leave' if they are hatched in this country - so from captive birds often they have never had the chance to learn where to migrate to to breed or moult and may never return to the natural pattern of things - I think they still move about seasonally as their instinct drives but it is often not to the places their ancestors are found.

[The Black Rabbit]

Thanks Gill.
Yeah -sure - CanadaxGrey(lag) geese are pretty common, just I've never seen a Barnacle cross.
Thats cross breed, not cross angry!

TBR

[aeshna5]

Interspecific hybrids between geese in captivity or in feral circumstances are not that uncommon. Greylag x Canada are probably most numerous, but that's due to the abundance of these species in more artificial habitats. At Kew I've observed a whole range of crosses over the years.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Here's a few more I Googled. It's not just domestics, Canadas, and Greylags up to it!

goose hybrids - Google Image Search

Cheers,

Adam

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit

Thanks Ron1863.
But what about a goose that is a barnacle goose (clearly) and what I call a Grey(lag) goose?
First I've seen this happening...

TBR

There's a pressumed barny x greylag on here:

Hybrid Geese (gobirding.eu)

Barnacle x canada (both branta) are more common hybrids. I see two such populations fairly regularly - a flock of feral barnies/barny x canada winter at Martin Mere, Lancs and summer at Knowsley Safari Park. A similar flock winters on Loch Lussa on the Kintyre peninsular in Argyll and summers on one of the islands (I think?).

Jonathan