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PLATE 2: GEESE
Greylag Goose Anser anser wv
L: 83. W: 164. Only the paler eastern subspecies rubrirostris (Eastern Greylag Goose) has been
recorded in the region. A large goose with thick neck, heavy, pink bill, pale greyish head and
neck, and pink legs. In flight, shows distinctive pale grey forewing. Juvenile similar to adult but
lacks sharply defined transverse lines of upperparts and dark belly marks. From all other geese in
the region by combination of size, bill and leg colour and strikingly pale forewing. Voice Similar
to domestic goose; loud, characteristic ang-ang-ang in flight. Habitat Grasslands, arable fields,
marshes, estuaries; breeds in marshes, reedbeds, boggy thickets, islets. Note Passage and winter
hatched.Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons wv
L: 72. W: 148. Smaller than Greylag, and normally larger than Lesser White-fronted Goose. Warmer
grey-brown than Greylag, with slightly darker head and hindneck; has orange legs and lacks silvery
forewing. Wing pattern similar to that of Lesser White-fronted. Bill not heavy, but quite long, pink
with white nail; no eye-ring visible in field. Adult has large white area surrounding base of bill
(rarely also forecrown) and black bars on underparts. Juvenile browner, lacks white forehead and
black bars on underparts; forehead and area round bill very dark, bill has dark nail. Voice Musical
and much higher pitched than other grey geese except Lesser White-fronted; repeated disyllabic,
sometimes trisyllabic with metallic, laughing quality kow-lyow or lyo-lyck. Habitat Grasslands,
marshes, estuaries. Note Passage and winter hatched; vagrant Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen.Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus V
L: 59. W: 127. Resembles Greater White-fronted Goose, but smaller (though a few overlap in size),
with proportionately shorter neck and bill, steep forehead, yellow eye-ring and slightly longer
wings, often extending beyond tail. Adult has extensive white on forehead and forecrown to
above the eye; upperparts dusky-brown with only dull transverse lines; underparts with only a
few black blotches. Juvenile similar to juvenile Greater White-fronted Goose, but told by size,
head and neck proportions and yellow eye-ring. Compared to Greater White-fronted has faster
wingbeats, more compact silhouette and noticeably faster walk. Voice Higher pitched, squeakier
and faster than Greater White-fronted; a di- or trisyllabic yelp kow-yow, kyu-yu-yu or piping yi-yi-yi.
Habitat Grasslands, marshes. Note Winter hatched; vagrant Kuwait, Oman, UAE.Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis V
L: 55. W: 125. Small, compact, dark goose with short, black bill. Unmistakable pattern of black
body, chestnut cheeks and breast (looks dark at distance) bordered by white; broad, shaggy, white
line along flanks and white patch in front of eye. Juvenile has smaller chestnut cheek-patch. Often
mixes with the so-called ‘grey geese’. Flight fast and agile. Habitat Normally grassy steppes in
winter. Note Winter hatched, but rare; vagrant Cyprus, Israel, Oman, Syria.Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca V
L: 68. W: 144. Slightly larger than Ruddy Shelduck, with broader wings, but similar wing-pattern in
flight. Otherwise brownish-buff with brownish or greyish upperparts, pale foreneck and face, and
prominent dark eye-patch; dark collar and belly-patch. Juvenile/immature browner, lacking eye-
patch, collar and belly-patch, and with yellowish-grey legs. Told from Ruddy Shelduck by longer legs,
dark eye-patch and body colour. Voice Deep nasal braying. Habitat Freshwater marshes, lakes and
rivers with nearby grassland. Note Vagrant Oman, introduced UAE.Cotton Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandelianus wv
L: 33. W: 55. Smallest duck to occur in region. Short neck and short, stubby, goose-like bill; round
body with, on water, high rear end. Male told by white head, neck and underparts with black cap,
eye and band across white breast. In fast flight looks white with green-tinged black wings with
conspicuous white trailing edge across full length of wing, very broad on primaries. Female a drab
version of male, browner with dark eye-line and greyish flanks; in flight brown wings and narrow
white trailing edge to secondaries. Habitat Well-vegetated wetlands, lakes. Note Uncommon
but regular in S Oman; vagrant Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen (Socotra), Iran and Iraq.
[Alt: Cotton Teal]