Anser anser
Status: No accepted records.
Taxonomy: Two subspecies in Eurasian range (Gill et al 2022).
The vast majority of Graylag Goose reports for North America are designated “Graylag Goose (Domestic type)”. These geese have been developed through selective breeding in Europe, northern Africa and western Asia from wild Graylag Geese (Wikipedia) and are often found in parks and in some places as feral flocks in a variety of colors from the original gray to white. Many “park geese” are crosses of domestic Graylag Geese and domestic Chinese Geese, whose wild form is Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides).
Domestic geese often breed with wild populations of the same species, Graylag or Swan Geese. For information on such intergrades/hybrids see the links below.
Comments: Natural vagrancy to the Interior is highly unlikely. There are only seven North American records deemed likely natural vagrants, four from maritime Canada, and one each from Quebec, Connecticut, and Rhode Island (Howell et al 2014; eBird.org, accessed Apr 2023).
Most reports of domestic Graylag Geese in Nebraska are from locations where small groups have been established for a number of years, however breeding evidence has not been reported.
The last survivor of a flock of 12 residing in Fremont, Dodge Co since 2013 was photographed 7 May 2019 (Charlotte Croshaw, personal communication; eBird.org). Up to five have been reported at Platte River SP, Cass Co since 2013, most recently four during Nov 2021 and five on 1 Dec 2022. A group using N.P. Dodge Park, Omaha, Douglas Co 19 Feb 2016 was described as “a gift from the Humane Society”; as many as 29 have been reported there 2015-2018, the 29 on 7 Mar 2018. Heartland of America Park, Douglas Co, hosted 25 on 20 Oct 2022, up to 17 during Mar-Nov 2023, and up to 10 31 Jan-25 Feb 2024. Twelve were at Benson Park, Douglas Co 6 Apr 2015. Lakeside Park, Douglas Co has hosted up to 10 since 2016, best tally 10 on 1 Apr 2017 and most recently one in Dec 2021. Crystal Springs Park, Jefferson Co hosted three on 28 Feb 2021 that “looked pure” (Sam Manning, eBird.org), and up to 11 were there 16-17 Dec 2023.
There are numerous additional reports of single digit numbers; of interest were reports of three at Carter Lake, Douglas Co Jan-Mar 2015 and another there 15 Jan 2017, and four at Sidney, Cheyenne Co 17 Feb 2024.
Hybrids with other goose species, notably Swan and Canada Goose, should be looked for in park settings; see Graylag Goose (domestic type) x Swan Goose (domestic type) and Swan/Graylag Goose (domestic type) x Canada Goose.
Images
Abbreviations
SP: State Park
Literature Cited
Gill, F., D. Donsker, and P. Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v 12.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
Howell, S.N.G., I. Lewington, and W. Russell. 2014. Rare birds of North America. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, New Jersey.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2024. Greylag Goose (Anser anser). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 3 Mar 2024