[CT Birds] Hybrid Goose in New Haven

[Mark Szantyr]

A while ago I read in the daily postings about a Greater White-fronted Goose X Canada Goose hanging around on the Merrit Parkway entrance median from RT 69 in Woodbridge.  I was intrigued by this report because this is a very infrequently documented occurenece yet is is  frequently reported only to prove an incorrect ID.  

I finally made it down there yesterdsay and founs the bird on the lawn of the motel south of the Merrit.  To me, this bird is likely a hybrid with a barnyard-type Goose with Greylag roots with a Canada goose.  It is larger than Canada geese, with thick legs and a very large bill. The face, while showing a vague white ring around the bill, is largely pale, showing some of the psttern of its Canada parent, as well as showing a weak dark neck stocking of that parent species.  The white around the bill, while present in White-fronted Geese, is actually a character that all of the "grey" geese can show.  Greylag, White-fronted, Bean, and Pink-footed can all show this character to varying degrees.

For several years now some escaped wild-type Greylags have been on the wing in northwestern CT ( and now maybe in northern Hartford County as well) and these birds and their progeny ( both pure and hybrid with Canada) have been the source for many confusing goose reports from the wetsren half of the state.

Interestingly, I sketched a very similar bird on Conold's Pond ( very nearby) in March 2003.  I have photos of yesterday's bird if anyone would like tp see them

Mark
Mark S.Szantyr
80 Bicknell Road
Apt. 9
Ashford, CT 06278
USA

Birddog55 at Charter.net
860-487-9766