Monday 4 January 2021

Otmoor, hybrid geese

Got round to having a look at the hybrid geese photos I took at Otmoor recently. The most interesting 'type' is this one below which could well be a Ross's Goose hybrid (about three or four of these types- this one the most striking). Peter Barker (Community Warden) informs me that a Ross's Goose was present for about three years at Otmoor (I saw it a few times- see bottom photo) and it did hybridise with the local geese including both Greylag and Canada.  

What's particularly interesting about these hybrids (if they are Ross's hybrids) is that the parent was a pale morph but it looks like dark morph features are being expressed in the hybrid progeny . 


Ross's Goose (photographed in 2017). Locally nicknamed Francis. A randy bugger by sounds of it. 

Rather than repeat the photos on other posts here a few links with updated comments:

Presumed hybrid Canada x Snow Goose - these might actually even be Ross's x Canada HERE
Goose fest blogs from earlier this week (scroll down or click ) HERE and HERE



2 comments:

Mick Cunningham said...

A Ross's Gull was present at Otmoor for years?! Biggest supporession ever?

Peter Alfrey said...

lol- edited accordingly :-)