Egyptian Goose
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Kolgans  Egyptian gooseAlopochen aegyptiacus Near Punda Maria along the bank of the Luvuvhu River Kruger National Park |
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Description - Egyptian Geese are large in size, with a very distinctive brown ring around the eye and around the neck. They are brown above and grey below. The bill is pink with black tip and base, the legs are pinkish red. Their bandit's mask is quite distinctive. In flight they have a very distinctive wing pattern with a large white area with green trailing edge and black tips. The female is smaller. Juvenile lacks brown marks around eyes and on the breast.
Distribution - Sub-Saharan Africa, except in deserts and dense woodlands, with a significant population in the Nile Valley. They were introduced into Britain (mainly East Anglia) and the Netherlands, which now have a sizeable feral population.
Habitat - Favours a diversity of wetlands in open country, only shunning densely wooded areas, and also occurs on meadows and grassland.
Biological - Occurs in single pairs. Basically a sedentary bird over much of the range, local movements are linked with the availability of water. Very territorial and aggressive, will chase other animals and destroy nests. Size 63-73 cm; the average female weighs 1.9kg, the male 2.5 kg.
Diet - Mainly vegetarian especially grass, seeds, leaves and stes of plant also animal such as worms and locusts. Forages mainly by grazing on pasture and arable land.
Breeding - The Egyptian Goose nestles during local spring or at the end of dry season. The nest is made of reed stems and grass, lined with down, and is built on the ground among vegetation in holes or in trees.
The ± 30 days incubation of 6-12 eggs is only done by the female. The young are immediately taken to water, where they are protected for 2 months by the parents before leaving to fend for themselves. Sexual maturity is reached in 3-4 years.
Voice - It is normally silent.
Other names - D Nilgans - DK Nilgås - ES Ganso de Egipto, Ganso del Nilo, Oca egipcia - F Oie d'Egypte, Ouette d' Egypte - FI Afrikanhanhi - IT Oca egiziana - NL Nijlgans, Vosgans - NO Niland - P Ganso-de-pescoço-ruivo - S Nilgås - CZ Husa egyptská
Websites
Wildbeheereenheid Susteren/Graetheide (Dutch)
Factbites
Tierseiten (German)
Israeli website
Books
Ian Sinclair - A photographic guide to birds of Southern Africa. Struik Publ. ISBN 1-86872-553-7
Ian Sinclair et al. - Sasol birds of Southern Africa. Struik Publ. ISBN 1-86872-033-0
Kenneth Newman - Newman se voëls van Suider-Afrika. SAPPI. ISBN 1-868-12-758-3
Vincent Carruthers (ed.) - The Wildlife of Southern Africa. Struik Publ. ISBN 1-86872-451-4