Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis x Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii hybrid
These two species seem to hybridise very easily. Hybrids are fertile so backcrossed hybrids are frequent and some feral flocks seem to consist mostly or even entirely of hybrids of various generations.
Vagrant Cackling Geese from North America sometimes turn up among wild Barnacle Geese in western Europe and this is one source of hybrids. Norfolk is further south than the main wintering population of wild Barnacle Geese but wild birds to turn up here, often among other wild geese including Pink-footed Geese. I suspect that the following two birds, one a Cackling x Barnacle hybrid and the other a pure Barnacle, were wild birds, though a feral origin cannot be ruled out. From the head shape and overall proportions I strongly suspect that the Cackling Goose parent was the nominate race, Richardson's Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii.
 L.JPG)
 L.JPG)
 L.JPG)
 L.JPG)
 L.JPG)
 L.JPG)
Barnacle Goose x Cackling Goose hybrid with Barnacle Goose and Pink-footed Geese, between Amner and Shernborne (Norfolk, UK), 12th January 2011
This one was at Pensthorpe where a flock of free-flying Barnacle Geese spends much of the year - it was paired with a Barnacle Goose and has produced one backcrossed hybrid gosling. So far as I know the Cackling Goose hybrid is not thought to have originated from Pensthorpe. Both adults have been ringed since their arrival at Pensthorpe.
 (2).JPG)
 (3).JPG)
 (4).JPG)
 (5).JPG)
 (1).JPG)
Barnacle Goose x Cackling Goose hybrid with Barnacle Goose and backcrossed hybrid gosling, Pensthorpe (Norfolk, UK), 15th May 2023
This one was with feral Barnacle Geese and was presumably offspring of either an escaped/captive Cackling Goose or was perhaps of Continental origin, there being more feral Cackling Geese on the Continent. Ryburgh is a stone's-throw from Pensthorpe and the Barnacle Geese regularly move between the sites, so I guess it's possible that this is the same bird as the one above.
 (1) L.JPG)
 (4) L.jpg)
 (5) L.jpg)
 (7) L.jpg)
 (8) L.jpg)
 (9) L.jpg)
Barnacle Goose x Cackling Goose hybrid with Barnacle Goose and Pink-footed Geese, between Amner and Shernborne (Norfolk, UK), 12th January 2011
For comparison, here are photos of the parent species.
 L.JPG)
 L.JPG)
Barnacle Goose, south of Brancaster (Norfolk, UK), 30th October 2007 and Richardson's Cackling Goose, Kelling (Norfolk, UK), 23rd December 2012
For more photos of these species follow the links below: