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London, United Kingdom
This blog will contain pictures and information from my everyday encounters with nature in London and the surrounding areas. I will log details of the origin of each photograph thus recording what there is to be seen and where it was seen. I very much welcome anyone else who can upload photos and information about nature in London and the home counties. I work freelance in the film industry so have plenty of days off. I hope to update Monday to Friday and once on the weekend posting at around 19.30, I don't post on bank holidays

Friday 1 April 2011

Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus)

Egyptian goose with 3 gosling
 Egyptian geese are native to Africa but were bought over to Britain in the 18th Century for ornamental purposes. Since then they have established a wild population, most of their number are found in north Norfolk but today in London I have seen two pairs both with 3 young on Clapham common south side as I went by on a bus and also on the south bank of the Thames on the west side of Hammersmith bridge, where the photo was taken. They usually mate for life and nest in tree hollows. The sexes are difficult to tell apart and they take turns in incubating eggs. The male is slightly larger and makes different sounds to the female. They are extremely territorial when they come into contact with other Egyptian geese, encounters that may end in aerial battle. Plumage may vary in colour and pattern amongst the species but they all have pale eyes surrounded by a dark patch and a black patch in the centre of their breast in common.

3 comments:

  1. Just seen a pair of Egyptian Geese in Thamesmead, London.

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  2. A pair of Egyptian Geese with 8 young seen in Mill Hill N W 7

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  3. Hello, Dear!!!
    I really like your post. Here you present very important information about Egyptian Goose Bird and I also like this Egyptian Goose Images.

    ReplyDelete