Cape Barren Goose

Cape Barren Goose
Cape Barren Goose
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Anserinae
Tribe: Cereopsini
Genus: Cereopsis
Latham, 1801
Species: C. novaehollandiae
Binomial name
Cereopsis novaehollandiae
Latham, 1801
subspecies

Cereopsis novaehollandiae novaehollandiae
Cereopsis novaehollandiae grisea Vieillot, 1818 [2]

Distribution of the Cape Barren Goose

The Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)[3] is a large goose resident in southern Australia. The species is named for Cape Barren Island, where specimens were first sighted by European explorers.

Contents

Taxonomy

It is a most peculiar goose of uncertain affiliations (Sraml et al. 1996). It may either belong into the "true geese" and swan subfamily Anserinae or into the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae as distinct tribe Cereopsini, or be separated, possibly including the prehistorically extinct flightless New Zealand Geese of the genus Cnemiornis, in a distinct subfamily Cereopsinae. Indeed, the first bones of the New Zealand birds to be discovered were similar enough to those of the Cape Barren Goose to erroneously refer to them as "New Zealand Cape Barren Goose" ("Cereopsis" novaezeelandiae).

The smaller population of Cape Barren Goose in Western Australia is described as a subspecies, Cereopsis novaehollandiae grisea, and named for the group of islands known as the Recherche Archipelago.

Description

Pair in Tasmania
Two at Cleland Wildlife Park, Australia
Nesting
Juvenile on Maria Island

These are bulky geese and their almost uniformly grey plumage, bearing rounded black spots, is unique. The tail and flight feathers are blackish and the legs are pink with black feet. The short, decurved black bill and green cere gives it a very peculiar expression.

The Cape Barren Goose is 75 to 100 cm (30 to 39 in) long, weighs 3 to 7 kg (6.6 to 15 lb) and has a 150 to 190 cm (59 to 75 in) wingspan; males are somewhat larger than females. This bird feeds by grazing and rarely swims.

Behaviour

Their ability to drink salt or brackish water allows numbers of geese to remain on offshore islands all year round.[4] They are one of the rarest of the world's geese.[4] It is gregarious outside the breeding season, when it wanders more widely, forming small flocks.

Range and habitat

A previous decline in numbers appears to have been reversed as birds in the east at least have adapted to feeding on agricultural land. The breeding areas are grassy islands off the Australian coast, where this species nests on the ground in colonies. It bears captivity well, quite readily breeding in confinement if large enough paddocks are provided.

In Australia, 19th-century explorers named a number of islands "Goose Island" due to the species' presence there.

In 1968, a small number of geese were introduced to Maria Island.[4]


References

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2009). "Cereopsis novaehollandiae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/141457. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
  2. ^ "Cereopsis novaehollandiae grisea". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=714729. Retrieved 25 March 2008. 
  3. ^ Etymology: Cereopsis, "wax-like", from Latin cere-, "wax", and Ancient Greek opsi-, "appearance". This refers to the peculiar bill. novaehollandiae, New Latin for "New Holland", an old name for Australia.
  4. ^ a b c "Cape Barren Goose, Cereopsis novaehollandiae". Parks & Wildlife Service. http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=5110. Retrieved 29 November 2009. 
  • Madge, Steve & Burn, Hilary (1987): Wildfowl : an identification guide to the ducks, geese and swans of the world. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7470-2201-1
  • Sraml, M.; Christidis, L.; Easteal, S.; Horn, P. & Collet, C. (1996): Molecular Relationships Within Australasian Waterfowl (Anseriformes). Australian Journal of Zoology 44(1): 47-58. doi:10.1071/ZO9960047 (HTML abstract)

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cape Barren goose — vištinės žąsys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Cereopsini angl. Cape Barren goose ryšiai: platesnis terminas – žąsys siauresnis terminas – vištinės žąsys …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Cape Barren goose — vištinės žąsys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Cereopsis angl. Cape Barren goose vok. Hühnergans, f rus. куриный гусь, m pranc. céréopse cendrée, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas – vištinės žąsys siauresnis terminas – vištinė …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Cape Barren goose — vištinė žąsis statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Cereopsis novaehollandiae angl. Cape Barren goose vok. Hühnergans, f rus. куриный гусь, m pranc. céréopse cendrée, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas – vištinės žąsys …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Cape Barren goose — noun a large goose, Cereopsis novaehollandiae, endemic to southern Australia, greyish in colour with pink legs and a black bill with prominent greenish cere; breeds on off shore islands. {named after Cape Barren Island, where the geese were first …  

  • Cape Barren goose — …   Useful english dictionary

  • Cape Barren Island — is located off the north east coast of Tasmania, Australia, and is one of the islands of the Furneaux Group in Bass Strait. The largest island of the group, Flinders Island, lies to the north, with the smaller Clarke Island to the south. The… …   Wikipedia

  • Goose — (g[=oo]s), n.; pl. {Geese} (g[=e]s). [OE. gos, AS. g[=o]s, pl. g[=e]s; akin to D. & G. gans, Icel. g[=a]s, Dan. gaas, Sw. g[*a]s, Russ. guse. OIr. geiss, L. anser, for hanser, Gr. chh n, Skr. ha[.m]sa. [root]233. Cf. {Gander}, {Gannet}, {Ganza},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Goose barnacle — Goose Goose (g[=oo]s), n.; pl. {Geese} (g[=e]s). [OE. gos, AS. g[=o]s, pl. g[=e]s; akin to D. & G. gans, Icel. g[=a]s, Dan. gaas, Sw. g[*a]s, Russ. guse. OIr. geiss, L. anser, for hanser, Gr. chh n, Skr. ha[.m]sa. [root]233. Cf. {Gander},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Goose cap — Goose Goose (g[=oo]s), n.; pl. {Geese} (g[=e]s). [OE. gos, AS. g[=o]s, pl. g[=e]s; akin to D. & G. gans, Icel. g[=a]s, Dan. gaas, Sw. g[*a]s, Russ. guse. OIr. geiss, L. anser, for hanser, Gr. chh n, Skr. ha[.m]sa. [root]233. Cf. {Gander},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Goose corn — Goose Goose (g[=oo]s), n.; pl. {Geese} (g[=e]s). [OE. gos, AS. g[=o]s, pl. g[=e]s; akin to D. & G. gans, Icel. g[=a]s, Dan. gaas, Sw. g[*a]s, Russ. guse. OIr. geiss, L. anser, for hanser, Gr. chh n, Skr. ha[.m]sa. [root]233. Cf. {Gander},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”