Aggressive, Noisy Interlopers… Domestic Geese

By Keith Hutton on June 23, 2015 in Other

The only geese you are likely to see in the Sydney region are domestic birds that have either escaped or been dumped in Centennial Parklands, or at many of the ornamental lakes and ponds in the area. There are only two species of geese native to Australia.

Magpie Geese are presently widespread in coastal and sub-coastal areas from Broome district to near Brisbane, while Cape Barren Geese are largely restricted to islands and coastal areas in Tasmania, southwest Victoria and southeast South Australia. Consequently neither of these is likely to be seen in the eastern suburbs.

Domestic geese have been selected for size, growth rate, different carcase characteristics and colour. Modern birds are faster growing and much bigger than their wild ancestors; some are pure white, and others have varied colour patterns. Selection has affected body structure too; wild geese have a horizontal posture and slim rear end, whereas domesticated birds lay down large fat deposits, resulting in a fat backside and more arrogant stance. Furthermore, most domestic geese are no longer able to fly.

The original domesticated geese in Europe, North Africa and West Asia were derived from Greylag Geese that range naturally through Northern Europe and North Asia, and migrate to North Africa, India, China and Southeast Asia in winter, where they inhabit steppes, moors and lakes. In East Asia domesticated geese originated from Swan Geese that breed in Mongolia, Northeast China and Siberia, then winter in Central and Eastern China, Taiwan and Korea, where they form large flocks on fresh water lakes. Domestic birds from both sources have been widely introduced throughout the world and modern flocks may consist of either species and/or hybrids between them. They have been kept in captivity for over 4000 years for their meat, eggs and down feathers. Commercial production remains very popular in some countries in Europe and Asia, but not so much in Australia and North America.

Both wild Greylags and Swan Geese are opportunistic vegetarians. They feed in short grasslands and arable fields and may naturally rely entirely on these at certain times of the year. They also eat other plant material, accessible from the ground or water surface, including roots and tubers, green leaves and stems, flower heads and fruits, with most agricultural crops on the menu. Not surprisingly, domestic geese in Sydney parks and gardens are largely vegetarian too, and readily supplement grazing with highly nutritious handouts from visitors that may therefore make a substantial contribution to their diet.

Domestic geese are aggressive, noisy interlopers that appear to be well established in Sydney parks and gardens. However, they are not officially recognised as feral in any part of Australia, despite a submission for Norfolk Island that was not accepted recently. Personally I would not miss them if they disappeared like the introduced Nile Geese that originate from Africa and were apparently common in Centennial Parklands in the past, but are no longer present there.