Egyptian Geese Compete For Nesting Ground

The flock of Egyptian geese at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort has been in residence on Caroline Island on the fairway for over five years. For the first time, the flock has successfully hatched nine goslings much to everyone’s delight.

However one of the goslings was killed by the competitors (other geese) who wanted to use the same area for nesting. Eventually the territorial parents managed to win the fight and are raising their goslings on the island and by the water dam.

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) is a large, distinctive, pale-colored water bird which is easily recognized by the conspicuous dark chocolate-brown patch around its eye. The head and neck are pale buff, and there is another dark brown patch around the base of the beak, usually joined to the eye patch by a narrow line.

Picture courtesy Sarah Joos

The Egyptian goose has buff-colored under parts, which become paler on the flanks and belly, and a variable but distinctive chocolate-brown patch on the lower breast. The upper parts usually vary from reddish- to grey-brown, with a black back, rump and tail, while the crown and back of the neck may show dark mottling, sometimes appearing reddish-brown. There is a narrow, dark reddish-brown collar around the base of the long neck. The ends of the wings are black and bear an iridescent green, which is separated from the contrasting white forewings by a narrow black line. The Egyptian goose has pinkish legs and feet, which become redder in the breeding season. The eyes are orange and the beak is pink, with a black tip, black nostrils and black edges.

Picture courtesy Sarah Joos

The female Egyptian goose resembles the male, but is smaller and often has darker markings on the beak. The sexes can also be distinguished by their calls - the male gives a strong but hoarse hissing sound while the female has a harsh, trumpeting quack. Juvenile Egyptian geese are duller in color, with a grey tinge on the forewings, a darker crown and neck, and a yellowish beak and legs. Juveniles also lack the distinctive dark eye and breast patches of the adult.

Report by Daniel Kilonzo, Resident Naturalist at Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort. Pictures by Sarah Joos via Stock.Xchng.

Heritage Hotels (Kenya) manages The Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf resort in Naivasha, just an hour an a half's drive from Nairobi. The lodge is famous for one the longest holes in Kenya - the par 5 -  17th ‘signature’ at 598 metres (654 yards)!
 ©Heritage Hotels Ltd, Kenya.