| Photo Information |
Copyright: Elza Maria Ferraz Barboza (florbelamaria)
![Silver Note Writer [C: 2 W: 0 N: 13]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/n-n-s.gif) (42) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2008-11-19 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Camera: Sony DSC N1 |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2009-04-23 7:00 |
| Viewed: 658 |
| Points: 2 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Egyptian goose - Ricardo Brennand Institute, Recife-PE
This species breeds widely in Africa except in deserts and dense forests, and is locally abundant. They are found mostly in the Nile Valley and south of the Sahara. It has also been introduced elsewhere; Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany have self-sustaining feral populations, the former dating back to the 18th century, though only formally added to the British list in 1971. In Britain, it is found mainly in East Anglia, in parkland with lakes. Egyptian geese prefer almost any wetlands in open areas. They do not inhabit densely wooded wetlands. In Ethiopia, they live in habitat as high as 13,200 feet (4,023 m).
Egyptian geese reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age. Males perform an elaborate and noisy courtship display to woo a prospective female. They usually breed in the spring or at the end of the dry season. Pairs nest alone in a variety of habitats, including dense vegetation on the ground, tree holes, or vacated nests previously used by other birds. Their nests are made out of a variety of plant matter that is softened by a lining of down feathers. The nest is usually located not far from water. The female incubates five to 12 yellowish-white eggs for approximately 28-30 days. Young have a duller appearance, and lack the distinctive brown eye and chest patch. Young fledge in about 70 days.
Egyptian geese remain in small flocks of family units through the majority of the year, and only pair up during the breeding season. They are mostly sedentary, but will move from their normal range to seek water during periods of drought.
It is difficult to identify male and female Egyptian geese. Both sexes look alike, although females are often slightly smaller. So, researchers identify males or females by sound. Though Egyptian geese are not very vocal, during times of stress or aggressive behavior, it's easy to distinguish males and females by their sound. Only males emit a raspy hiss, while females produce a loud cackling sound.
One of the best times to witness the respective sounds of Egyptian geese is during their times of nesting. A mated pair is very protective of their territory and nest. The pair aggressively vocally defends it against intruders, and if necessary, will attack. Interesting facts: Introduced into Britain in the 1700s, a population of about 500 feral Egyptian geese still thrives there. Egyptian geese perch easily in trees and usually roost in them, often returning to the same spot each night. Thought to be sacred by ancient Egyptians, they domesticated these geese and illustrated them frequently in their art. Other Names
United Kingdom : Egyptian goose
Portuguese: Ganso-do-egipto
Spanish: ganso del nilo
French: Oie d'Egypte
Netherland: Nijlgans
Italian: Oca egiziana (o del Nilo) Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Genus: Alopochen Stejneger, 1885 Binomial name: Alopochen aegyptiacus (Linnaeus, 1766) |
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