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Scroll down for the slide show! While I was out last week, looking for Farm Art, I stopped at the pond on Old Highway. There were the usual ducks and geese. On the opposite bank was a Blue Heron and a White Egret. There were also some Killdeer walking around in the mud. I spotted some different looking birds that I thought were ducks. The coloring made me think of a sunset. I took some photos of them and then promptly forgot about them.
Today as I was looking
through the Sibley Guide to Birds I spotted one in the Exotic Waterfowl
section that looked like the "ducks" on the pond. I thought no, that
can't be right. Exotic Waterfowl are species that escape from zoos and
private collections.
I don't know the history
behind these three, but they are Egyptian Geese, not ducks at all. They
are native to Africa and the book says that there are a small number
of feral ones in Southern California. The breed mates for life and the
finely penciled lines on their feathers are among the most delicate
markings I've ever seen on a bird.
Egyptian geese are a little
larger than a duck in size, reaching 2 - 2 1/2 feet high with a 4 1/2 - 5
foot wingspan. They have a distinguishing chestnut brown mask around
their yellow eyes however, this coloration is absent in juveniles. The
backs of Egyptian geese are reddish orange to brown in color with the
underside of their wings white and iridescent green. The beak, legs and
feet are pale pink in color. Both sexes are very similar in appearance,
with the males being only slightly larger.
I went back this morning,
but they weren't on the pond. I am hoping to see them again, but they
may have just been passing through Mariposa.
More information:
http://www.honoluluzoo.org/egyptian_goose.htm
Linda Gast
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