Sergey Dereliev

Medium-sized waterbird, introduced from Africa into England in 17th century, from where spread to W Europe. Established breeding populations in Great Britain, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, SW Sweden and Poland. European population at least 26,000 breeding pairs (Gyimesi & Lensink 2012). Resident, but dispersive after breeding season and undertakes moult migrations. Long breeding season, breeding success high in Europe but not England (Lensink 1999). Diet grass and other plants, crops. Occurs anywhere near water, nests on ground or in cavities, uses other birds’ nests.

Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
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Overall Connectivity for Egyptian Goose

Resident in England, some short distance movements within the country. Medium distance movements, 50-200 km mainly NE-SW oriented in W Europe, more erratic in all directions in C Europe. Movements consisting of a mix of post-breeding dispersal, moult migration, and natal dispersal. Two cases of long-distance natal dispersal of c. 95km documented (Van Dijk & Majoor, 2011). Also in native range in Africa, movements are limited (Cumming et al 2012).

Recoveries by Condition for Egyptian Goose

More than half of the reencounters refer to birds that were alive and identified by other means, predominantly metal or colour rings being read in the field. Many colour ring readings are not yet included in atlas. One quarter are shot birds, which mainly occur in the Netherlands, where culling takes place since the 1990s and gradually increased to 20,000 birds annually and caused the population growth to level off (Gyimesi & Lensink 2012). Just 3% are ring recoveries, all in Germany and Belgium. 12% were found dead, most during the winter months, as Egyptian geese are sensitive to cold weather and population size in the Netherlands was reduced during severe winters (Lensink 1999).

Annual Movements for Egyptian Goose

Little variation in time and place visible, with year-round concentrations in Greater London, Brussels and surroundings, Amsterdam, The Hague and German Ruhrgebiet, from where scattered encounters follow river Rhine towards SE. Scattered encounters away from these core areas in N and E Germany occur sparsely in all months.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Egyptian Goose

Limited movement in England, mostly from inland sites during Jun-Jul to coast in Aug-Mar. Most birds in W Europe ringed as nestling or during moult in Belgium in May-Sep. These connect predominantly towards N and NE in the Netherlands and Germany in all months, with a tendency towards longer connections towards NE into Germany occurring in Oct-Mar. In C Europe, longest movements by birds in Dec-Mar connecting to Belgium and Netherlands in May-Sep. Movements in other months relatively short distance in all directions and months.

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Cumming, G. S., Gaidet, N., & Ndlovu, M.2012 . Towards a unification of movement ecology and biogeography: conceptual framework and a case study on Afrotropical ducks. Journal of Biogeography 39: 1401–1411
Gyimesi, A., Lensink, R.2012 . Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca: an introduced species spreading in and from the Netherlands. Wildfowl 62: 126–143
Lensink, R.1999 . Aspects of the biology of Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus colonizing The Netherlands. Bird Study 46 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00063659909461131) : 195–204
Van Dijk, K. & Majoor, F.2011 . Natal dispersal of Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiacus from The Netherlands to Germany and vice versa. Limosa 84: 82–84

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