Barnacle Goose x Greater White-fronted Goose hybrid

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis x Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons hybrid

A mixed pairing of Barnacle Goose x White-fronted Goose once occurred at Raynham Lake (Norfolk, UK) and were observed to be successful (per Andrew Bloomfield). A number of hybrid geese frequented the area for a few years after that and at least two of these are presumed to be the offspring of this pairing. Although I don't think I ever two birds together, one bird had orange legs while the other had ochre-yellow legs - in other respects these two birds were very similar in appearance.

Hybrids between Barnacle Geese and either of the White-fronted Goose species seem to be very dark-bodied - more so than either parent.

Barnacle Goose x Greater White-fronted Goose hybrid, Coxford (Norfolk, UK), 13th March 2003

Barnacle Goose x Greater White-fronted Goose hybrid, Coxford (Norfolk, UK), 9th March 2003

Barnacle Goose x Greater White-fronted Goose hybrid, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 15th January 2004

Barnacle Goose x Greater White-fronted Goose hybrid, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 8th January 2008

Barnacle Goose x Greater White-fronted Goose hybrid, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 17th February 2010

It's not clear if some of the later records were all the same birds, but if so then they must have been getting quite old by this time, although I don't know the exact year that they were first observed. The following bird looked noticeably different with whiter underparts (whiter on the belly and white bars through the flanks). That would suggest it was a new bird - unless they can change appearance over time?

Barnacle Goose x Greater White-fronted Goose hybrid, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 15th January 2004

For comparison, here are photos of the parent species.

Barnacle Goose, south of Brancaster (Norfolk, UK), 30th October 2007 and Greater White-fronted Goose, Holkham (Norfolk, UK), 15th January 2005

For more photos of these species follow the links below: