Snow Goose Anser caerulescens x Swan Goose Anser cygnoides hybrid

I struggled with the ID of this bird for some time. The dark 'mane' and the all black bill were indications of Swan Goose ancestry but the other parent was less clear. The white-edged greater-coverts suggested Snow Goose or Ross's Goose but it was a while before I became comfortable with idea that this bird could be a domestic Swan Goose x Snow Goose hybrid, and only after much helpful input from others. Had I noticed that the greater coverts were long and hanging, perhaps I would have reached this conclusion earlier!

There is another possibility though. In the same flock there was a hybrid presumed to be Lesser White-fronted Goose x Ross's Goose hybrid (you can see it in one of the photos below). It is perhaps possible that that hybrid bred with one of the domestic Swan Geese in the same flock, and this bird is the trigen offspring. So, for now, the identity is still not certain.

probable Snow Goose x domestic Swan Goose hybrid (with Canada Goose), Whitlingham Country Park (Norfolk, UK), 5th February 2011

probable Snow Goose x domestic Swan Goose hybrid, Whitlingham Country Park (Norfolk, UK), 19th June 2011

probable Snow Goose x domestic Swan Goose hybrid (with Greylag and Egyptian Geese and a Ross's Goose x Lesser White-fronted Goose hybrid), Whitlingham Country Park (Norfolk, UK), 1st July 2011

For comparison, here are photos of the parent species.

captive Snow Goose, Grange-over-Sands (Cumbria, UK), 28th December 2011 and domestic Swan Goose, Abebrton Reservoir (Essex, UK), 21st August 2004

For more photos of these species follow the links below:

• Snow Goose
• Swan Goose (domestic forms)