Birds of Alberton: Egyptian goose
A breeding pair of Egyptian geese are raising their goslings at Jackson Dam.
The Egyptian goose is a large duck that is seen all over South Africa wherever fresh water is available. In Alberton, they frequent large water bodies such as dams. You can see a breeding pair raising their ducklings at Jackson Dam.
The Egyptian goose is, despite its name, a part of the duck family. They are large pale brown and grey birds sometimes weighing up to two kilograms. Their feather coat is complemented by brown markings around the eye, neck and under the tail. The wings of the male Egyptian goose feature rich emerald secondary flight feathers.
Egyptian geese are largely herbivorous. They eat seeds, grasses and various aquatic plants. They sometimes forage away from water into grasslands in search of food. The geese sometimes supplement their diet with small insects, especially when young.
The honking sound, commonly used to attract mates, is distinctive to the Egyptian goose species. They are generally honking to other species they share their environments with, as well as humans passing by.
Sources;
https://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/birds_egyptian_goose.htm
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/egyptian-goose/
Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa
Also Read:
Garden birds of Alberton: The wattled starling
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