Cape Barren Goose
Encyclopedia
The Cape Barren Goose
is a large goose
resident in southern Australia
. The species is named for Cape Barren Island, where specimens were first sighted by European explorers.
subfamily Anserinae
or into the shelduck
subfamily Tadorninae
as distinct tribe
Cereopsini, or be separated, possibly including the prehistorically extinct flightless New Zealand Geese of the genus Cnemiornis
, in a distinct subfamily Cereopsinae. Indeed, the first bones of the New Zealand
birds to be discovered were similar enough to those of the Cape Barren Goose to erroneously refer to them as "New Zealand Cape Barren Goose" ("Cereopsis" novaezeelandiae).
The smaller population of Cape Barren Goose in Western Australia
is described as a subspecies, Cereopsis novaehollandiae grisea
, and named for the group of islands known as the Recherche Archipelago.
These are bulky geese and their almost uniformly grey plumage, bearing rounded black spots, is unique. The tail and flight feathers are blackish and the legs are pink with black feet. The short, decurved black bill and green cere
gives it a very peculiar expression.
The Cape Barren Goose is 75 to 100 cm (29.5 to 39.4 in) long, weighs 3 to 7 kg (6.6 to 15.4 lb) and has a 150 to 190 cm (59.1 to 74.8 in) wingspan; males are somewhat larger than females. This bird
feeds by grazing and rarely swims.
In Australia, 19th-century explorers named a number of islands "Goose Island" due to the species' presence there.
In 1968, a small number of geese were introduced to Maria Island
.
is a large goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
resident in southern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The species is named for Cape Barren Island, where specimens were first sighted by European explorers.
Taxonomy
It is a most peculiar goose of uncertain affiliations (Sraml et al. 1996). It may either belong into the "true geese" and swanSwan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
subfamily Anserinae
Anserinae
The Anserinae is a subfamily in the waterfowl family Anatidae. It includes the swans and true geese. Under alternative systematical concepts , it is split into two subfamilies, the Anserinae containing the geese , while the Cygninae contain the swans.A number of other waterbirds, mainly related to...
or into the shelduck
Shelduck
The shelducks, genus Tadorna, are a group of large birds in the Tadorninae subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as the geese and swans....
subfamily Tadorninae
Tadorninae
The Tadorninae is the shelduck-sheldgoose subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as the geese and swans....
as distinct tribe
Tribe (biology)
In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
Cereopsini, or be separated, possibly including the prehistorically extinct flightless New Zealand Geese of the genus Cnemiornis
Cnemiornis
The New Zealand Geese formed the extinct genus Cnemiornis of the family Anatidae, subfamily Anserinae.The genus, endemic to New Zealand, consisted of two species: the North Island Goose, C. gracilis and the South Island Goose C. calcitrans...
, in a distinct subfamily Cereopsinae. Indeed, the first bones of the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
birds to be discovered were similar enough to those of the Cape Barren Goose to erroneously refer to them as "New Zealand Cape Barren Goose" ("Cereopsis" novaezeelandiae).
The smaller population of Cape Barren Goose in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
is described as a subspecies, Cereopsis novaehollandiae grisea
Cereopsis novaehollandiae grisea
The Recherche Cape Barren Goose , also known as the Cape Barren Goose , is large grazing bird found along the southern coast of Western Australia. It is a subspecies of the Cape Barren Goose, the other subspecies of which inhabits islands and coastal regions of Bass Strait in south-eastern Australia...
, and named for the group of islands known as the Recherche Archipelago.
Description
Cère
The Cère is a long river in south-western France, left tributary of the Dordogne River. Its source is in the south-western Massif Central, near the mountain Plomb du Cantal...
gives it a very peculiar expression.
The Cape Barren Goose is 75 to 100 cm (29.5 to 39.4 in) long, weighs 3 to 7 kg (6.6 to 15.4 lb) and has a 150 to 190 cm (59.1 to 74.8 in) wingspan; males are somewhat larger than females. This bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
feeds by grazing and rarely swims.
Behaviour
Their ability to drink salt or brackish water allows numbers of geese to remain on offshore islands all year round. They are one of the rarest of the world's geese. It is gregarious outside the breeding season, when it wanders more widely, forming small flocks.Range and habitat
A previous decline in numbers appears to have been reversed as birds in the east at least have adapted to feeding on agricultural land. The breeding areas are grassy islands off the Australian coast, where this species nests on the ground in colonies. It bears captivity well, quite readily breeding in confinement if large enough paddocks are provided.In Australia, 19th-century explorers named a number of islands "Goose Island" due to the species' presence there.
In 1968, a small number of geese were introduced to Maria Island
Maria Island
Maria Island is a mountainous island off the east coast of Tasmania. The entire island is a national park. Maria Island National Park has a total area of 115.50 km², which includes a marine area of 18.78 km² off the island's northwest coast. The island is about 20 km in length from...
.