Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Cape Barren Goose ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter 08-14-10

Here’s one, the Cape Barren Goose, from the other end of Australia for a change, taken last year at the euphemistically named Western Treatment Plant at Werribee southwest of Melbourne.

It’s a large goose, to 100cm/40in in length with drooping wing feathers when standing, giving it a slightly 19th Century bustle. It has a large greenish-yellow cere and red legs with black feet. Its range includes Northern Tasmania, the islands of Bass Strait and the south coast of Australia from Victoria in the east to islands near Albany in Western Australia. It’s not particularly common with a population estimated at about 17,000 but the population is stable and it has been introduced to a number of places including Kangaroo Island in South Australia and New Zealand.

Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) by Ian

The birds are grazers and feed on grasslands and cultivated pastures. They are wary, and when they take flight they fly strongly, as in the second photo.

The Birds Australia Congress starts in Townsville this evening and the Campout starts next Monday. So, if you’re attending I’ll look forward to catching up with you. In the meantime, in haste, I haven’t updated Ian’s Picks on the website but will do so when I get a moment and will let you know.

Link: http://www.birdway.com.au/anatidae/cape_barren_goose/index.htm

Best wishes,
Ian

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Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: +61-7 4751 3115
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s Addition:

Looks like Ian is off on another one of his adventures down there in Australia. The Cape Barren Goose is in the Anatidae Family along with Ducks, Teals, Shelducks, Mergansers, Geese, Swans and their allies and are part of the  Anseriformes Order.

And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:30-31)

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