ID request

[ScoutR]

I heard this one honking and was very surprised to see it was not the usual Canada Goose. I've looked in my books and checked online, but can't find a match. Does anyone know what kind of goose this is? Something that might be found in Southern Ontario.


Goose by Wendy FS, on Flickr

Wendy

[jeeperman]

Wish I could help Wendy. I would be able to ID one I have. Very nice image BTW.

[Splatsworth]

A very wild guess would be a brown chinese goose

[andrewaxford]

Im not sure Wendy but could it be a Pink-footed Goose from Greenland?

[Splatsworth]

defo not a pink foot

[Wendy Stanford]

Hi Wendy, No ID on the goose, but a lovely capture, very minimilistic

[rtbaum]

I believe it is a swan goose
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Goose

[ktuli]

My guess would also be some sort of swan. Remember that most birds have winter plumage, and since few ID books provide both summer and winter plumage photos, it may become very confusing to ID.

Regardless of the ID troubles, the photos is very nicely captured. Nice exposure on the snow, nice usage of the lines (top right to bottom left diagonals of the snow drifts and bottom right to top left of the break in the snow) in the photos to lead the viewer's eyes to the main subject (not that it doesn't stand out and draw the eye naturally itself).

- Bill

[Donald]

I believe it is a swan goose
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Goose

The problem with that is that the reference doesn't put the species anywhere near Wendy's back yard. I agree there are similarities, but I'm not so sure.

Unless it's a stray.

[Splatsworth]

I'm still fairly positive its a female brown chinese goose

[ddp4me]

I was thinking a hybrid of Canada goose and domestic white goose, but this Greater White-fronted goose may work, although the bill is the wrong color. Never knew there were so many kinds of geese! I'll keep looking for you.

[Jim B.]

Not much info on Swan Geese in North America,but from what I have read this could be a domestic that got loose.

[Splatsworth]

http://www.avianweb.com/chinesegeese.html

[Donald]

http://www.avianweb.com/chinesegeese.html

That seems to answer that pretty definitively. Look at the bridge of the nose (do you call it a nose on a goose?) - "Both males and females often have a strongly developed basal knob on the upper side of the bill, although the knob is more prominent on males than females. This knob offers a way of accurately identifying the genders. Juveniles can also be sexed when they are 6 - 8 weeks old."

[Saskwatch]

It looks like the goose has an identity now. I was going to recommend posting your photo at
http://www.birdforum.net

there are lots of experienced birders there.

[Kathy O]

Love the photo Wendy, love how you captured the ice cicles and the snow and still managed to make the goose the main focus!!

Kathy

[Polar01]

Could be a juvenile snow goose (white morph),

Allan