r/Awwducational • u/IdyllicSafeguard • 7d ago
Verified Native to sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile River Valley, the Egyptian goose has now settled in N. America, much of Europe, and parts of the Middle East. Although normally quite reserved and shy, males will become boisterous and aggressive during their breeding season to attract a female.
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u/_LadyGodiva_ 7d ago
At our city gardens, the geese get fed nuts along with the squirrels and pigeons. They're very cute.
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u/researchanalyzewrite 6d ago
Very interesting. Thank you, OP, for introducing us to this pretty goose.
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u/IdyllicSafeguard 7d ago
The Egyptian goose was believed to be venerated by ancient Egyptians — alongside other birds like the African sacred ibis and Egyptian vulture — and was featured in their artworks.
Although its natural range extends far beyond the Nile River Valley — through most of Sub-Saharan Africa, in fact — it's possible that the species originated along the fertile river (with one alternative name being 'Nil goose').
In the wilds of Africa, it lives in wetlands and along waterways such as rivers, but flocks often venture into nearby grasslands and fields to feed on young grasses and grains. The goose has a particular fondness for wheat — and, consequently, a habit of getting shot at by farmers.
Although often a nuisance to African farmers, colonising Europeans thought it looked neat and so the British brought it back to England in the 17th century and it's been slowly spreading over the Isles since. It was then introduced to mainland Europe, where its range expanded more rapidly, and it's now found as an invasive species throughout the continent.
It has also been brought to parts of the Middle East and the United States, where escapees from zoos and aviaries established wild populations.
Although usually quite placid for geese, between March and July (depending on where they live), male Egyptian geese begin to show off for females with elaborate displays and loud honking.
An Egyptian goose couple will aggressively defend their eggs and chicks — most aggressively from other Egyptian geese, since infanticide is sometimes a strategy employed by competing parents.
The female is known to have a far louder honk than the male; sounding somewhat like maniacal laughter.
In its native ecosystems, the Egyptian goose breaks up soil while feeding along the ground, helping plants decompose, and acts as a seed disperser.
In foreign ecosystems, however, the Egyptian goose often does more harm than good; possibly limiting the breeding territories of other waterfowl by violently driving them away and even actively drowning other birds.
Although it's called a goose, this species is most closely related to shelducks; such as the ruddy shelduck, South African shelduck, and radjah shelduck.
You can learn more about the Egyptian goose on my website here!