Ian, why/how would a snow-Canada hybrid be bigger than a Canada?



Jane

(Shoreham)



On 2/26/2017 7:50 PM, Ian Worley wrote:

> Hi Bob,

>

> Thanks for the thought.  I didn't get a good enough look to really

> explore the options.  I would have, if the group had stayed in place.

>

> My starting point was the heft of the bird, so noticeably larger in

> appearance than the Canadas it was with, which were small Canadas if the

> Snow Goose was a normal size.  That sent my brain to a domestic goose of

> some sort, but I couldn't make that hold up later with a cursory on-line

> search.

>

> I've seen all sorts of leucistic birds with varying degrees and

> distributions of white.  That may not have jumped into my mind because I

> perceived the bird to be more stocky than a Canada Goose.  I haven't

> forgot about other species being hybridized as well.

>

> I'll try to find it again tomorrow.  Where first seen it was only

> 300-400 feet away.  Where it went was 4000 feet distant, and there was a

> lot of heat distortion in the cold air over the warm ground of the last

> few days.  If I do refind it, I'm curious to see if my quick

> observations in that limited time hold up during a more sustained and

> comprehensive view.

>

> Best regards,

>

> Ian

>

> ------------------------------------------------------

>

>

> On 2/26/2017 7:12 PM, anneboby wrote:

>> Ian - may I suggest it was possibly a leucistic Canada (a bird with

>> partial white plumage) rather than a hybrid.  I suggest this after

>> recently banding my second leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in NY.

>>

>> Bob Yunick

>> Schenectady, NY

>>

>>

>>

>> -----Original Message-----

>> From: Ian Worley <[log in to unmask]>

>> To: VTBIRD <[log in to unmask]>

>> Sent: Sun, Feb 26, 2017 1:37 pm

>> Subject: [VTBIRD] Snow Goose x Canada Goose hybrid .. Lemon Fair WMA,

>> Cornwall.

>>

>> While beginning to count 2300 Canada Geese today in the flooded Lemon

>> Fair River flats west of West Street, Cornwall, I came upon a noticeably

>> large goose, as compared with the Canada Geese and one Snow Goose it was

>> foraging with.  I was struck by its size, but it didn't really look like

>> any domestic goose with which I am familiar.  I now think it is a Snow

>> Goose x Canada Goose hybrid.

>>

>> As I was taking notes on its plumage, the ensemble of geese bolted as an

>> immature Red-tailed Hawk made a zooming pass.  They landed about 0.3

>> miles up stream with other geese at a location I could not see well.

>>

>> I saw the bird from right and left rear quarter view as it swam and when

>> it took flight.  It was dark bodied above, and white below.  The wings

>> were dark but the outer primaries were all white and very striking in

>> flight. My look at the neck was remembered poorly, though it definitely

>> was not white.  The head was prominently pied in color, a mottling of

>> dark spots or blotches on a white field.  I did not see the bill or feet

>> with any clarity.

>>

>> Ian