Has anybody noticed local Cross Breeds of Waterfowl

Kristan

Kristan

Well-known member
Saw something interesting today (Sorry no pictures). I am currently working for a week in Hutchinson, MN with a vendor of my company. In the middle of town there is a high fenced waterfowl protected zone. I pulled up to the fence and noticed a gray barn yard goose. After a few minutes I noticed three more geese walking around the same barn yard goose. One goose has all the markings of a Canada with the exception of the same bill and drabby orange/gray legs, another goose had the markings of a blue goose (eagle head) with the same bill style and legs of the barn yard goose. The third bird was actually a lesser snow style body with the dark primaries with the same bill and legs as the other geese. It is my assumption that this park which is wonderful to see but also is becoming a natural freak show for waterfowl.

Has anybody noticed this in any other city in local parks with waterfowl?

Regards,
Kristan
 
Kristan-

Funny you should mention the goose. My supervisor came to me with a story the other day. He and everyone else I work with are well aware that I am a waterfowl hunter. Which means they bring me various stories of their interactions with fowl and other creatures. He has several resident Canada geese that frequent his yard. He started telling me about the one Canada goose that had orange legs, but claimed that it still had the black head with the traditional white markings.

I just figured he was crazy and didn't really know what he was looking at. Maybe he was telling the truth.

Chad
 
I saw a Canada x Graylag cross like that last year. It was mixed in with a flock of Canadas. Feet, bill, and portly body of a Graylag, with the general coloration of a Canada. There's a pond with domestics nearby, so that may have been it's origin.
 
For the past few weeks I have been seeing a farm goose acting as wild as the pair of Giants it is hanging around with. He flies pretty well for a big goose, I only caught him coming in for a landing in the video. Click here Not the best photo but as good as I could do with the cell phone. If he keeps hanging around with Canadas it won't surprise me to see some crosses.

My uncle had a couple mixed breed geese years ago, they looked like very light colored honkers. In some areas I've heard of Giants with large white patches, often on the wings and chest. I've wondered if they are several generations away from a cross. I'm not sure if Canada x Greylag hybrids are fertile or not.

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Kristan, I don't know if this has anything to do with this thread, however, in the early morning hours while Bev is still asleep, Serrano has been seeing an orange duck.
Al

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I have been fortunate enough to capture these two pictures. Recently she has been seeing this orange duck just about 30 minutes before sunrise each day.

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It must be part Wood Duck if it is only seen a half an hour before sunrise.
Be cautious around that orange duck or it may lead to a sighting of the endangered Red Eared Al. :)

Tim
 
You wanna talk about UGLY crosses? I've seen Muscovy x Mallard crosses from time to time here. They don't appear to be common but they are UUUUUUUUGLY
 
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