Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid, Skane (Sweden), 21st July 2005 - copyright Carl-Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 1023)

The above bird is apparently confirmed as the offspring of a male Snow Goose and a female Barnacle Goose, hatched in the late 1990s and seen until 2007.  Carl Gunnar highlights the colour of the dark area of the neck-breast region which, apart from some white spots, contains some brown which is not seen in the parents, but is present in the blue phase of Snow Goose.  The pattern of the tail and wings is shown in the next photo.

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid, Skane (Sweden), 5th September 2007 - copyright Carl-Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 1073)

The next two birds are captive.  The identification is presumed, but they were artificially hatched in 2008 from eggs from a pond containing white and blue morph Snow Geese, Bar-headed Geese, Greylag Geese and Barnacle Geese, so the options are rather limited!

captive presumed Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrids, Gothenburg (Sweden), 5th March 2010 - copyright Carl-Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 0942-0943)

captive presumed Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrids (first 3 are same individual as in photo ID 0942 above, last 3 are same as in photo ID 0943 above), Gothenburg (Sweden), 20th April 2010 - copyright Carl-Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 0934-0939)

The next bird was with a flock of Barnacle Geese - the bird's size was among the characters that led Henry to conclude Snow Goose was one parent.

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid, Turku (Finland), 7th October 2004 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2479-2482)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (same bird as in photo IDs 2479-2482 above; with Barnacle Goose), Turku (Finland), 4th October 2004 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2483)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Barnacle Geese), Turku (Finland), 27th September 2008 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2506-2509)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (same bird as in photo IDs 2506-2509 above), Turku (Finland), 12th October 2008 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2510)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (same bird as in photo IDs 2506-2510 above), Turku (Finland), 23rd May 2008 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2511-2512)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Barnacle Goose; same bird as in photo IDs 2506-2512 above), Turku (Finland), 27th May 2008 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2513-2514)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Barnacle Geese; same bird as in photo IDs 2506-2514 above), Turku (Finland), 5th September 2008 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2515)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Barnacle Geese), Turku (Finland), 22nd May 2009 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2546)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (same bird as in photo ID 2546 above), Turku (Finland), 24th May 2009 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2547-2548)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (same bird as in photo IDs 2546-2548 above), Turku (Finland), 18th July 2009 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2549)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Barnacle Goose; same bird as in photo IDs 2546-2549 above), Turku (Finland), 1st August 2009 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2550-2551)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Barnacle Goose; same bird as in photo IDs 2546-2551above), Turku (Finland), 30th August 2009 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2552-2553)

Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid, Turku (Finland), 26th June 2017 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2975)

The identity of the bird in the next photo is uncertain.  In a flock of Barnacle Geese it is clearly either a Ross's Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid or a Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid.  Its plumage closely resembles that of Ross's Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrids but I initially assumed Snow Goose involvement on account of the large size - clearly larger tha Barnacle Goose.  The size still tips it in favour of Snow Goose for me, but I am less sure as I have subsequently discovered that Ross's Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrids may be slightly larger than Barnacle Goose (maybe not as much as this), the neck seems rather short and the bill perhaps a little on the small side.  The lack of an obvious grin patch may not be an issue as it seems that this is not always present on Snow Goose hybrids.

possible Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (or a large Ross's Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid, with Barnacle Geese), Buckenham (Norfolk, UK), 1st January 2010 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0150-0155)

possible Snow Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (or a large Ross's Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid, with Barnacle Geese), Buckenham (Norfolk, UK), 2nd January 2012 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0156-0161)

(See also: Snow Goose x Canada Goose, Snow Goose x Cackling Goose, Ross's Goose x Canada Goose, Ross's Goose x Barnacle Goose)

 

Snow Goose Anser caerulescens or Chen caerulescens
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis