What kind of Goose?

[curt_mayhood]

<p>I know this is not a great shot, but this bird kept moving away from me. I took it with a canon zoom l

ens, 55-250mm and still could not get close enough. Anybody know what kind of bird this is? It is han

ging out with a flock of about 17 Canadian Gees<div></div>

[ShunCheung]

<p>This is quite difficult since the subject is small in the image and is not completely in focus. It looks like some sort of coot, buy the front side of this bird seems to be white. </p>

<p>Where was this image captured?</p>

[curt_mayhood]

<p>Our lake in NW Tennessee. It is actually about the same size, just a little smaller than the lesser Canadian Geese that is hanging out with. Has much shorter neck and grayish white beak. thanks for your help. Will try to post another / better pix. But as far as I know, coots are smaller?</p><div></div>

[curt_mayhood]

<p>Here's another photo, it came up on shore so I could see it better.</p><div></div>

[curt_mayhood]

<p>Ran down there before the sun went down.</p><div></div>

[curt_mayhood]

<p>Headed to the water.</p><div></div>

[stp]

<p>I'm relatively certain that you have a hybrid of a Canada Goose and "something else." Even though species are usually reproductively isolated (i.e., viable offspring aren't produced between species), that's not always the case.</p>

[LenMarriott]

<p>Immature Canada Goose perhaps? Though Canadian I'm no expert on our geese, except perhaps to be careful where I place my foot when I'm around them. :-) Best, LM.</p>

[Roger G]

<p>To me it looks very much like a Canada goose with the exception of the extended white on the face. Probably it's a CAGO variant with slightly odd or maybe albinistic plumage.</p>

[stp]

<p>Except the plumage is too "finely defined" to be a partial albino or "slightly odd" variant. I'm going to stick with a hybrid between a Canada Goose and another species of goose.</p>

[colin carron]

<p>Yes, looks to me like a Canada goose with an unusual chin-strap. I would have thought just normal variation but maybe some kind of hybrid.</p>

[stemked]

<p>Where was the image taken?</p>

<p>I have a friend who is a professional ornithologist, I'll run it by him.</p>

<p>My best guess is a hybrid too. The bill shape, white around the bill and the general size, neck shape, leg color, looks like a little like a White Fronted goose. The rump, cheek patch, bill color, head shape, looks like a Canada.<br>

I'll take your word that this isn't a Photoshop job</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Douglas, the OP said that the images were captured in NW Tennessee.</p>

<p>Now we have more images. I would say this bird's neck is way too short for a goose.</p>

[curt_mayhood]

<p>No photoshop.</p>

[richard watts]

<p>There is a useful discussion group and many photos here:<br>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/hybridbirds/">http://www.flickr.com/groups/hybridbirds/</a></p>

[kerry_grim]

<p>This is clearly a goose, Canada Goose mixed with...who knows what. The bill shape is unlike that of a Canada Goose so I believe it is a mix as opposed to a Canada Goose with unusual markings. Size wise, it is smaller than most adult Canadas but you cannot go by size due to extreme variation in addition to different subspecies.</p>

<p>It may be important to know what the origin of the bird is. Did it breed with another species on the summer nesting grounds in the Arctic or is it one that is there year-round which I believe would increase the chances of being a mix with local "farm" or other non-native geese? I see little reason to think it is a hybrid with anything other than another goose.</p>

[curt_mayhood]

<p>It was migratory as it was here for 3 or 4 days, with 17 normal Lesser's and they are all gone now. With all the great input, to my way of thinking it was a hybrid of a Lesser and a White-fronted goose, if that's possible and I guess it is.</p>

[michaeljlawson]

<p>Possibly a cackling goose: <br /> http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cackling_Goose/id <br /> http://www.fnal.gov/cgi-bin/ecology/wildlife/display?Cackling+Goose<br /> OR if you scroll down this page a bit, you will see some "Partially Albino" Canada and cackling geese as well as some hybrids it looks similar too:<br /> http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/CACG_CANG.html</p>

[dave_wilson1]

<p>A good friend of mine who is a very serious birder, not me lol, suggested by my verbal description only, she did not see the photos, that it sounds maybe like a brant. This is also some type of small goose. I'm not going to venture into territory about which I know nothing, so I'll leave it at that.</p>

[stp]

<p>It's not a Brant, and it's not a Cackling Goose. I still contend it's a hybrid where the original parents were a Canada Goose and "something else." </p>

[stemked]

<p>Hi All.<br>

Looking for a more definitive authority on your unusual bird I sent a message to the head of the Audubon Society in Tennessee. He checked with a waterfowl expert and they both agree that it is likely a hybrid.</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>It has a chest similar to a "brant", but lacks a brant's coloration. It does have similar color to a Canada goose though. A guess would be that his Mamma was a brant, and his Daddy was a Canada goose that got lucky(or vice versa).</p>

[dave_wilson1]

<p>What, did I hear Brant? I knew I must have been half right even though I know nothing about birds ;-)))</p>