Egyptian Goose
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| Egyptian Goose Conservation status: Secure | ||||||||||||||
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| Missing image Egyptiangoose12.jpg Egyptian Goose | ||||||||||||||
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| Alopochen aegyptiacus Linnaeus, 1766 |
The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, and is the only member of the genus Alopochen.
This 63-73 cm long species breeds widely in Africa except deserts and dense forests, and is locally abundant. They are found mostly in the Nile Valley and south of the Sahara. It is also introduced elsewhere; Great Britain has a self-sustaining feral population, 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.
This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. It swims well, and in flight looks heavy, more like a goose than a duck, whence the English name.
This is a territorial species in the breeding season, and will nest in a large variety of situations.
The sexes of this striking species are identical in plumage, though the males average slightly larger. There is a fair amount of variation in plumage tone, with some birds greyer and others browner, but this is not sex or age related.
Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses, and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals.
Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork.
ms:Burung Angsa Mesir de:Nilgans fr:Ouette d'Égypte lt:Egiptinė žąsis nl:Nijlgans