Egyptian Goose

 

 

Last week as we left the little petrol station in a holiday resort, Grant pointed out that the Egyptian Geese wandering around the campsites had young. Well, it was probably two weeks ago. This morning when we stopped at the petrol pumps again, I noticed the same flock of geese.  They were a lot bigger than a fortnight ago but I decided to photograph them.

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family (Anatidae). It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley.

Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork. They have been raised for food and extensively bred in parts of Africa since they were domesticated by the ancient Egyptians. Because of their popularity chiefly as an ornamental bird, escapees are common and small feral populations have become established in Western Europe. 

I'm linking to Wild Bird Wednesday here