Domestic Chinese Swan Geese in NZ

General birdwatching discussion, help with bird identification, and all other things relating to wild birds and birding in NZ that don't fit in one of the other forums.
andrewcrossland
Posts: 2132
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:29 pm
Location: Christchurch

Domestic Chinese Swan Geese in NZ

Postby andrewcrossland » Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:08 pm

Hi team, I can't say I've ever seen these in NZ myself, but Bev Alexander asked me to post a pic of 1 of 2 geese she and Pete McClelland noticed yesterday near Birdlings Flat (Lake Ellesmere area).She wrote:

"While travelling towards Birdlings Flat today, this bird was seen in a paddock on the left side of the road & another on the right hand side of the road. The first just stood still while we watched ( I think it was a female) & the other, which seemed to be darker round the head, tucked its head down, so we couldn’t see it very well. This was about a km further on from “ The Dead Rabbit”. "

Its a dead ringer for Domestic Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides var. domesticus), which is a bird we've never seen in the Lake Ellesmere area before but I see there's one i-naturalist record from the Central North Island. I'm obvioulsy assuming these 2 were dumped/released.

Q - Are these things seen elsewhere in NZ? And what size domestic population is there in this country? Anyone know?

swan goose Bev Alexander.jpg
swan goose Bev Alexander.jpg (109.25 KiB) Viewed 1076 times


Swan goose 2.jpg
Swan goose 2.jpg (71.77 KiB) Viewed 1076 times
Byrd
Posts: 825
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:53 pm
Location: Wellington

Re: Domestic Chinese Swan Geese in NZ

Postby Byrd » Wed Jan 18, 2023 9:54 pm

Chinese Geese are commonly kept in NZ.

(I just went on Trademe to see if any were for sale right now and there's a pair for $300 - I wouldn't pay anywhere near that amount but no doubt someone will)
andrewcrossland
Posts: 2132
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:29 pm
Location: Christchurch

Re: Domestic Chinese Swan Geese in NZ

Postby andrewcrossland » Wed Jan 18, 2023 10:38 pm

cheers
Jake
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Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:53 am

Re: Domestic Chinese Swan Geese in NZ

Postby Jake » Tue Jan 31, 2023 2:34 pm

Hybrids are sometimes seen about the place too. Anderson Park in Napier used to have proper hybrids, but they've been mostly swamped by Greylags. There's a hybrid in Masterton too
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RussCannings
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Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:23 am

Re: Domestic Chinese Swan Geese in NZ

Postby RussCannings » Fri Feb 10, 2023 11:19 am

There are a few hybrid Swan x Greylags in the Foxton area (Manawatu), as well as south Hamilton (Shaw's bird park), and I once saw a fairly pure-type in a flooded paddock near Matangi (east of Hamilton)--maybe 5 years ago. I feel like I've noticed them elsewhere (maybe Taranaki?)--so they seem to be around.

Russ

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