Nilgans Hesse

The Egyptian goose originates from Africa and is the only living representative of its genus. From the 17th and 18th centuries onwards it was kept as an ornamental waterfowl in Britain and Central Europe. Escapes from parks and zoological collections, together with deliberate releases, led to free-living breeding pairs. From the Netherlands the birds reached the Lower Rhine, where the first wild breeding record in Germany was documented. Since then the species has spread along river floodplains, gravel pits, dredged lakes, wet meadows and park lakes and now occupies large parts of the country. Among non-native bird species in Germany, the Egyptian goose shows the fastest population growth of recent decades. At EU level it is listed as an invasive alien species whose spread is considered a risk to biodiversity.

Identifying features include a body length of about 63 to 73 centimetres, a weight of roughly 2 to 2.5 kilograms, the dark eye patch, the brown chest patch and the long pinkish to reddish legs. Males and females look very similar. The species is highly flexible in its breeding biology and uses ground nests as well as tree cavities, reed beds, rock niches, buildings and the old nests of other species, sometimes more than 20 metres above the ground. During the breeding season pairs defend their territory strictly and behave aggressively towards other waterbirds. Documented attacks affect above all mallards, occasionally resulting in the death of ducklings, and Egyptian geese have been observed displacing white storks, peregrine falcons and barn owls from established nest sites. On urban waters the aggression is most visible between conspecifics, while along more natural rivers, lakes and gravel pits the birds often behave more defensively. In addition, Egyptian geese can cause conflicts through grazing and trampling on farmland and through droppings in parks and at bathing waters.

In Germany the Egyptian goose is classified as game. Common hunting methods include the stand hunt (Ansitz) at roost waters and feeding sites, the flight hunt along the lines between roost and feed, and decoy hunting (Lockjagd) using goose decoy spreads, often combined with confidence decoys such as a heron silhouette on the bank. Egyptian geese are considered less wary than greylags and respond well to decoys, but their sharp senses still call for careful concealment, attention to wind and light and a clear identification before the shot. Areas on busy urban waters, in parks and close to housing are generally left unhunted for safety and acceptance reasons.