Page 410 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WILDFOWL
Family Anatidae Species Anser erythropus Family Anatidae Species Branta ruficollis
Lesser White-fronted Goose Red-breasted Goose

Now extremely rare, numbers of this goose are being Uniquely patterned black, white, and deep red, the
boosted by birds “fostered” under other geese, blurring Red-breasted Goose is an easy bird to identify but is
the true wild pattern. In a winter goose flock, its faster sometimes surprisingly difficult to spot in a dense flock
action, long wingtips, neat round head, and very short, of slightly larger Brent or Barnacle Geese (see pp.99,98).
shocking-pink bill help to identify it; Strong sunlight makes even White-fronted Geese
other useful features are the bold white large white (see p.93) very contrasty, and white spot
forehead
blaze over the crown and bright yellow blaze the Red-breasted can be hard on face
eye-ring. Juveniles lack the white blaze. to find among them.
OCCURRENCE Very rare breeder OCCURRENCE Large flocks in
in N Scandinavia; rare in W Europe winter around Black Sea;very rare
in winter. in W Europe.
VOICE High, quick, VOICE Loud, sharp,
yelping notes. double pik-wik.
ADULT
ADULT

striking black,
long white, and red
wingtips plumage

Length 56–66cm (22–26in) Wingspan 1.15–1.35m (3 3 ⁄4 –4 1 ⁄2ft) Length 54–60cm (21 1 ⁄2–23 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 1.1–1.25m (3 1 ⁄2 –4ft)

Family Anatidae Species Tadorna ferruginea Family Anatidae Species Alopochen aegyptiacus
Ruddy Shelduck Egyptian Goose
Clearly a shelduck in shape and actions, the Ruddy Introduced as an ornamental bird to England, the
Shelduck is instantly identifiable by its mostly rich Egyptian Goose has established itself in the wild but
rust-orange plumage.The males have a pale head and not spread far beyond eastern England. It looks a
narrow black collar; females have whiter faces. In little like a pale brown Shelduck (see p.100),
flight, the forewing is strikingly white. Other shelduck with a short pink bill, a brown eye
species that may escape from collections look similar patch, and big white wing brown
but differ in head and neck details. Periodic patches. Some look quite rufous, eye
patch
appearances of Ruddy Shelducks in the UK in late others greyer.
summer may involve truly wild birds. OCCURRENCE E England;
OCCURRENCE Rare in E Greece and Turkey; occasional wanderers elsewhere.
vagrant in W Europe. VOICE Loud, raucous,
VOICE Nasal honking calls. staccato cackling.
pale face
MALE rust-orange narrow ADULT
body black
collar
large white
wing patch
long pink
legs

Length 58–70cm (23–28in) Wingspan 1.1–1.35m (3 1 ⁄2 –4 1 ⁄2ft) Length 63–73cm (25–29in) Wingspan 1.1–1.3m (3 1 ⁄2 –4 1 ⁄4ft)
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