"Egyptian Goose"

"Egyptian Goose" (Alopochen aegyptiacus)

	Egyptian Goose "male" Photograph by © Ian Gereg
	Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Egyptian Goose "in flight" Photograph by © Ski S. Diverscreek Waterfowl
	Photograph by © Chris Griffin
	"White" Egyptian Goose Photograph by © Chris Griffin

Egyptian Geese come from Africa, and are named Egyptian Geese because the Egyptians kept them for many years as poultry. They are in a sense, duck-like as well. The males hiss like Muscovy Ducks, where the female has a loud call like a "Hawww", "Hawww", and a duck like "WACK", "WACK", "WACK" given in alarm, defense, or calling for a mate in flight. They fly really well, and can dive from the sky and "land on a dime". They also use their wings to fly over a pond...rather than swimming across it. They are extremely aggressive when nesting, and will attack people with out any question. Although it is called a "goose", this bird is really a species of shelduck.

Egyptian Geese are large, bulky goose-like in structure with markedly long pink legs. General coloration buffish, with darker upperparts, paler head, and dark brown facial and belly patches and collar. Head and neck pale buffish, with chocolate-brown patch surrounding eye and base of bill. Some brown motling on crown and neck. Dark rusty-brown collar encircles lower neck. Upper mantle, breast and almost entire underparts buffish or greyish-buff, becoming paler on flanks and shitish on belly and ventral region. Variably extensive chocolate-brown patches in center of lower breast. Back, rump, uppertail-coverts and tail black. Upperwing-coverts white, with dark line along length of greater coverts, contrasting with blackish flight feathers and primary coverts. Secondaries glossed mettalic green or purple. Bill pink, with dusky nail, cutting edges and mottling about nostrils and very base. Legs and feet pink. Iris pale yellowish, sometimes brown.

Size: 25-29 inches.

Male: Males usually larger than females.

Female: The female can be distinguished by her trumpet like quaking, in contrast with the male's soft, husky calls.

Nest: A hollow in the ground under vegetation, or a hole in a cliff, cave, or tree.

Voice: Not particularly vocal, although social disputes provoke much calling from both sexes. Male utters a harsh, wheezy hiss. Female has a guttural, strident, almost braying cackle, "honk-haah-haah-haah".

Habitat: Freshwater lakes and rivers of almost any description.

Food: They eat grasses, and other vegetation, but since they are not true geese, they also will feed heavily on insects...such as crickets.

In Flight: Goose-like shape and extensive white forewing above and below, contrasting with blackish flight feathers.

More Egyptian Goose Information:
"Egyptian Goose Nest, Eggs & Baby Birds"