Despite its name, the Egyptian geese is a type of duck that appeared prominently in ancient Egyptian art. It is also called the Nile geese.
The Egyptian geese are native to the natural habitat around the Nile River.
However, their range may extend outside of Egypt, with birds as far away as Florida.
In the United States, these birds are rarely migratory, and their diet includes plants and insects, and the most important characteristic of Egyptian geese are dark markings on the face that resemble a mask.
Where do Egyptian geese live
The most common place to see Egyptian geese is Egypt, where there is the largest number of nests, as well as in the south of occupied Palestine, and although these birds are native to
the Nile River region, these birds are also found in faraway places such as South Africa, the United Kingdom, the states of Florida, California and Texas In the United States, these birds spend most of
their time swimming in their habitat but will roost in trees or forage in coastal areas. Egyptian geese will stay in the area unless drought conditions force them out so you can usually find them all year round.
Egyptian geese make nests with the participation of both females and males. Tree cavities are preferred places, but Egyptian geese often use a site on the ground.
It is preferable to use herbs and leaves in nesting materials along with a lining of feathers for more warmth when the chicks hatch.
The appearance of the Egyptian geese
The Egyptian geese are characterized by wings that reach a length of between 25-29 inches, which gives the bird an impressive appearance during flight, and the weight of these birds also ranges from 2.2 to 8.8 pounds, and the male is larger than
the female on average, but both sexes share the same Appearance Otherwise, the mostly brown coloration helps this bird to blend in with the grass in riverine areas.
The majority of the bird's coloring is a lighter shade of brown, however the darker brown markings around the eyes give the appearance of a robber's mask.
The behavior of Egyptian geese
In some cases, Egyptian geese were domesticated and kept as pets.
The ancient Egyptians were among the first groups to tame these birds.
Unlike many other waterfowl species, the Egyptian geese are not usually migratory except in the event of a drought.
Diet of Egyptian geese
The Egyptian geese are primarily herbivores, and they feed on a variety of grasses and aquatic plants. However, the primary diet of the Egyptian geese is the leaves, stems, and roots of the water lily.
They also eat flower seeds and buds. The Egyptian geese will also eat when they consume animal protein. Worms, insects, tadpoles and invertebrates such as snails when available.
Predators of Egyptian geese and the most important threats
Some of the threats to the range of the native Egyptian geese include habitat loss due to agricultural practices, and climate change. The endangered status of
the Egyptian geese may change because population numbers are not as well documented as some other species.
Many of these birds have been kept as pets and have escaped to non-native sites such as Florida and other parts of the United States.
People in these areas consider birds to be invasive because they can establish breeding populations and live long lives with good food sources.
The perception of these birds as invasive spurs a lot of hunting, making humans a legitimate threat.
What predators eat Egyptian geese
Predators that prey on Egyptian geese include sea eagles, red-tailed hawks, these birds attack Egyptian geese in
the air or while in trees, using their claws and beaks to deliver a fatal blow, and cheetahs are also natural predators that stalk and pounce on Egyptian geese to kill with a bite in the mouth. Neck, besides trying to blend in with their surroundings, Egyptian geese
also developed tactics and methods to drive leopards and similar predators away, and one of these methods includes feigning injury to drive predators away from their nests.
Egyptian geese breed
Egyptian geese mate for life, as females lay 5-12 eggs, and females usually lay their eggs in about March, and the incubation period lasts from 28 to 30 days, and
the young will emerge and prepare to leave the nest in about 70 days after hatching, and the young will usually shed feathers A little later around 10-12 weeks.
The population of Egyptian geese
Egyptian geese have a less anxious condition, although the exact number in the wild is not known.
The observed wild populations remained stable, and breeding populations in areas outside Egypt showed modest growth as ducklings were spotted with their mothers in Florida.