Another Goose Query

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by PeterD

Thanks for your reply. I was being very cautious about jumping to conclusions (remembering my Swan/Goose Query thread before) but I too thought it was a hybrid. Presumably, this goose will follow the Canadas wherever they go.

It's likely your goose is now deluded into believing it's now a Canada goose yes!

Snow/Ross's geese are smaller and more compact geese - (Ross even smaller with more of a stubbier bill). Both species have noticeably black primaries with pure white plumage (unless we're talking about blue morphs of SG (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3643/...ccee246d_o.jpg). It's hard to determine the status of any seen in the 'wild' since there are several self-sustaining groups of Snow/Ross in the wild in the uK now - one such flock in Hampshire and I've also seen a few on Mull. I think there's a couple that hang out with Barnacles in Norfolk too.

The fact that your 'grey' goose is with domestic Canadas is a clue too as to it's identity - Genuinely wild Snow/Ross geese are more likely to turn up with migrating wild geese such as Pink Feet and more likely in Scotland/Ireland than elsewhere. Feral/Escapes often hang round with flocks of Barnacles.