Greylag Goose x Emperor Goose

probable Greylag Goose x Emperor Goose hybrid, Manor Park, Glossop (Derbyshire, UK), 27th August 2015 - copyright Steve Graby

(photo ID: 2277)

I found this bird a challenging one to identify and started off down the wrong path, but Joern came to our rescue and came up with a good argument for an answer I had not considered.  I had suspected Snow Goose involvement but Joern pointed out that the scaly pattern, the white tail and the uniform dark neck coloration rather point to an Emperor Goose hybrid instead.  As he says, the scapulars appear very straight, without much curve as in many Snow Goose hybrids, but also fitting to Emperor.

Joern also pointed out that the white blaze does not necessarily indicate one of the White-fronted Geese were involved, as Steve and I had both imagined.  Joern reminds us that it can also appear in the cross between a mainly white-headed species (in this case Emperor) and a grey-headed species.  Joern's attention to detail also came of assistance here as he spotted the orange on the bill visible in one or two of the following photos, but which I had overlooked.  This rules out the White-fronted Geese and brings Greylag Goose in to play.

There remains the possibility that the grey goose parent was a domestic bird of mixed Greylag Goose/Swan Goose ancestry, rather than a pure Greylag Goose.

probable Greylag Goose x Emperor Goose hybrid (same bird as in photo ID 2277 above), Manor Park, Glossop (Derbyshire, UK), 27th August 2015 - copyright Steve Graby

(photo IDs: 2278-2281)

Greylag Goose Anser anser
Emperor Goose Anser canagicus or Chen canagica

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (individual D), Malmoe (Sweden), 13th May 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 1009)

Five Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrids were documented by Carl Gunnar in the journal Ornis svecica but some photos can be used here.  The five were labelled individuals A, B, C, D and E.  The first few photos relate to one bird, individual D, presumed to be a female, which has more white on the neck than the others, and an above-average amount of black on the bill.  It is much darker than Greylag Goose and shows a bronzy tone.

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (individual D, with Greylag Goose), Malmoe (Sweden), 13th May 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 1005-1008)

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (individual D, with Greylag Goose), Malmoe (Sweden), 11th May 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 1015)

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (individual D), Malmoe (Sweden), 28th June 2008 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 1061)

Inidividual E was the darkest of the five.  Carl Gunnar records that the cheek patch changes during the year: from May they usually show a rather even and pale cheek patch but this changes in September when they show a Greylag-like cheek patch colour contrasting with pale white areas as shown in this photo below.  The birds are also darker than in the summer.  Individual E still had an all-black bill nail when its siblings had developed a split-coloured bill nail.  Unlike individual D above, this one has no white speckling on the neck - just some pale feather tips visible at close range.

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (individual E), Malmoe (Sweden), 2nd October 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 0957)

Here is individual B, showing how the bill nail is becoming paler.

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (individual B), Malmoe (Sweden), 10th June 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 0993)

And here is the back end of individual C, showing the dark-barred under and upper tail coverts - a feature frequently found on Anser x Branta hybrids.

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (individual C), Malmoe (Sweden), 28th June 2008 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 1060)

Just as at least one of the Swedish birds was paired to a Greylag Goose (but never produced young - they are probably infertile), so too was this one I observed in Norfolk.  Not only did this appear to be paired to a Greylag Goose but the pair were accompanied by goslings.  The goslings resembled Greylag Goose goslings and, given that we think these hybrids are infertile, I presume they were not the offspring of both accompanying birds (it is not unusual for goslings to be accompanied by geese that are not both their natural parents).

presumed Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid, Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 22nd November 2004 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0131)

presumed Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Greylag Goose gosling), Holkham Park (Norfolk, UK), 14th June 2005 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0129-0130)

The next one is clearly a Barnacle Goose hybrid, though whether the other parent is Greylag Goose or not is not quite certain.  It is darker than this hybrid often can be, though it is a variable hybrid, and has quite a dark bill - maybe there are some domestic Swan Goose genes involved?  The orange legs on this bird are also a bit of a concern and may indicate that the parent was not simply a Greylag Goose, though at the present time we do not know that this should bar it from being possible.

possible Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Greylag Geese), Pipersdijk, Texel (Netherlands), 22nd October 2015 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 2317-2319)

This bird was alone and far out on the water so judging its size was impossible.  The extent of white on the face and the dark breast are suggestive of Barnacle Goose.

probable Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid, Rutland Water (Rutland, UK), May 2010 - copyright Steve Graby

(photo ID: 1948)

Although some examples of this hybrid inherit a blackish breast like their Barnacle parent, others don't show such a dark breast, like this one.

Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid (with Greylag Geese), Texel (Netherlands), July 2016 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo ID: 2900)

Greylag Goose Anser anser
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis

Greylag Goose x Cackling Goose

presumed Greylag Goose x Cackling Goose hybrid, Simrishamn (Sweden), 12th September 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 0966)

This bird closely resembled Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids in plumage, but the size and structure differ.  In an earlier draft I had commented on the white speckling on the neck but failed to notice the subtle difference between this pattern and the pattern seen on some domestic Greylag x Canada Geese.  Joern has responded, supported by Carl Gunnar, to say that the pattern on this bird here is different.  Here we see pale-tipped neck feathers on the side of the neck - different from the pattern sometimes seen on domestic Greylag x Canada Goose hybrids where whole feathers are white (e.g. photo ID 0612 on the domestic Greylag x Canada Goose page).


(See also: Greylag Goose x Canada Goose)

presumed Greylag Goose x Cackling Goose hybrid, Simrishamn (Sweden), 12th September 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 0967-0968)

The very small size is apparent in the next photo:

presumed Greylag Goose x Cackling Goose hybrid, Simrishamn (Sweden), 12th September 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo ID: 0951)

Greylag Goose Anser anser

Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 8th March 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0052)

One of the most easily seen and photographed hybrids, at least in north-west Europe.

Greylag Goose is, of course, the ancestor of many domestic geese.  Hybrids between domestic Greylag Goose and Canada Goose are more variable in appearance than hybrids between wild or feral Greylag Goose and Canada Goose.  This is not surprising as domestic Greylags are very variable, with some resembling their wild ancestors and others looking quite different.

On this page we have only included birds which appear to involve wild or feral Greylag Geese, not domestic Greylag Geese.  We have a separate page for hybrids between domestic Greylag Geese and Canada Geese.  Having said that, some domestic hybrids can be impossible to separate from feral or wild Greylag hybrids, so it is possible that the Greylag Goose parent of some of the birds on this page may also be domestic.

(See also: domestic Greylag Goose x Canada Goose, domestic (Swan Goose x Greylag Goose) x Canada Goose, Swan Goose x Canada Goose, Greylag Goose x Cackling Goose)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 8th March 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0053-0056)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Canada Goose), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 6th April 2009 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0057-0060)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Turku (Finland), 10th October 2004 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2495)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Canada Goose), Turku (Finland), 7th October 2004 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2496)

Henry thought the next bird had quite a heavy build so there's a possibility that the Greylag parent was domestic; however there is nothing in the plumage to give that away.

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Canada Geese), Turku (Finland), 2nd April 2006 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2497)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids, Turku (Finland), 17th August 2007 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2498)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Turku (Finland), 6th April 2010 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo ID: 2575)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Turku (Finland), 5th December 2011 - copyright Henry Lehto

(photo IDs: 2560-2561)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Greylag Goose), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 24th June 2007 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0061-0062)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Canada Goose), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 20th September 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0063-0064)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Bittering (Norfolk, UK), 17th December 2004 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0065-0066)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids (with Canada Geese), Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 28th October 2009 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0067-0077)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Canada Goose), Bylaugh (Norfolk, UK), 6th September 2008 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0078-0079)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 4th October 2007 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0080)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Bittering (Norfolk, UK), 26th August 2013 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0081)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 29th May 2010 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0082-0085)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Canada Geese, another Greylag x Canada Goose and a Ross's Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid), Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 4th December 2010 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0086-0087)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Canada Geese), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 30th January 2011 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0088-0091)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Canada Goose), Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 30th January 2011 (different individual to the one in photo IDs 0088-0091 above) - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0092-0093)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 27th February 2011 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0094-0095)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Swanton Morley (Norfolk, UK), 16th April 2011 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 0096-0099)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Wissington Beet Factory (Norfolk, UK), 17th March 2012 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo ID: 0100)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with its presumed parents), Schrevenpark, Kiel (Germany), 18th November 2012 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 0564-0568)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Greylag and Canada Geese), Schrevenpark, Kiel (Germany), 16th August 2011 (probably same bird as in photo IDs 0564-0568 above) - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 0675-0679)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid (with Greylag Goose), Bonn (Germany), probably 2003 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 0817-0820)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Bonn (Germany), probably 2004 (same bird as in 0817-0820 having lost its colour ring) - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 0821 & 0858)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids, Skövde (Sweden), 14th October 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 0952-0954)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids, Skövde (Sweden), 18th September 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 0960-0961)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids, Skövde (Sweden), 17th August 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 0972-0987)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids (last two photos are same bird, other three are three different birds), Simrishamn (Sweden), 25th July 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 0988-0992)

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Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Skövde (Sweden), 19th September 2008 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 1044-1051)

As the above photos demonstrate, this hybid normally has extensive pink or pinky-orange colour on the bill, albeit often rather dusky and with some degree of black.  The next bird is highly unusual if it is simply a Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid as it has a predominantly black bill.  But what else could it be?

probable Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids, Simrishamn (Sweden), 12th September 2009 - copyright Carl Gunnar Gustavsson

(photo IDs: 0963-0965)

The next one was in a zoo but fully-winged and, unlike most other geese there, unringed.  It shows a swollen cheek and throat, but we don't know the reason for this.

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Springe (Lower Saxony, Germany), 1st February 2013 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(photo IDs: 1629-1631)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Alexandra Park, Oldham (Greater Manchester, UK), August 2011 - copyright Steve Graby

(photo IDs: 1981-1986)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids (with Canada Goose), Peasholm Park, Scarborough (North Yorkshire, UK), 24th June 2013 - copyright Steve Graby

(photo IDs: 1993-1996)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, location not given (UK), 15th May 2013 - copyright Steve Graby

(photo IDs: 2182-2183)

The following goslings were accompanied by a mixed pair of Greylag Goose and Canada Goose, though that in itself does not prove that they young are hybrids.  Geese may adopt goslings that do not belong to them, or the mother may have mated with a different male.  I have no information that these birds were followed to see how they developed when fledged.

possible Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid goslings (with Greylag Goose and Canada Goose), location not given (UK), 15th May 2013 - copyright Steve Graby

(photo IDs: 2184-2185)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Hornsea Mere (North Yorkshire, UK), 28th March 2009 - copyright Mark Coates

(photo ID: 2095)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, River Foss, York (North Yorkshire, UK), 4th May 2013 - copyright Mark Coates

(photo ID: 2096)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, River Foss, York (North Yorkshire, UK), 7th May 2009 - copyright Mark Coates

(photo ID: 2097)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Ouse Bridge, central York (North Yorkshire, UK), 9th June 2009 - copyright Mark Coates

(photo ID: 2098)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, location not specified (UK), 6th April 2014 - copyright Mark Coates

(photo ID: 2099)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Buckton (Yorkshire, UK), 21st March 2015 - copyright Mark Coates

(photo ID: 2142)

A few extra flecks of white on this bird may perhaps indicate a domestic origin for the Greylag parent, but I'm not sure it's out of range for normal wild/feral Greylag hybrids.  Another hybrid photographed at the same time resembled domestic Swan Goose x Canada Goose and when I first reviewed these photos several years ago I imagined the two birds must be siblings, so concluded that the grey goose parent was a domestic bird of mixed ancestry.  In hindsight I think it's more likely that they weren't siblings, and in that case there is no need to assume any Swan Goose ancestry for this bird.

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Grovelands Park, Southgate (London, UK), 27th March 2008 - copyright Katy M ("BlueyBirdy")

(photo IDs: 2353-2355)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Grovelands Park, Southgate (London, UK), 6th January 2010 - copyright Katy M ("BlueyBirdy")

(photo ID: 2361)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Grovelands Park, Southgate (London, UK), 12th June 2010 - copyright Katy M ("BlueyBirdy")

(photo ID: 2364)

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Waal en Burg, Natte Blok (Texel, Netherlands), 25th September 2010 - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(illus. ID: 2428)

I am not sure about the next bird.  The dark clear-cut breast suggests Barnacle Goose involvement but to my eyes this does not look like a Greylag Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrid.  I think we have seen Canada hybrids showing dark breast before and this seems to have a head pattern like Greylag x Canada (so far as I can tell at this angle).  It's a bit dark on the belly though compared to most of the birds above.  Maybe a different angle would reveal some more clues...

possible Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Harbridge (Hampshire, UK), 26th December 2015 - copyright Olly Frampton

(photo ID: 2175)

This one seems more straightforward...

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Walthamstow Reservoirs (Greater London, UK), 1st July 2007 - copyright David Darrell-Lambert

(photo ID: 2689)

These two birds were at the same location as another three Greylag x Canada hybrids that showed clear evidence of domestic ancestry.  It is possible that these also had a domestic Greylag as a parent, but that is not obvious if so.

Greylag Goose x Canada Goose hybrids (different birds), Wissington (Norfolk, UK), 24th February 2017 - copyright Dave Appleton

(photo IDs: 3084-3085)

Greylag Goose Anser anser
Canada Goose Branta candensis