Duck x Goose?

[Borncountry419]

I know this is probably a dumb question. I've never heard of it happening, and it wouldn't seem possible. I had a clutch of Muscovy ducklings hatch about 3 weeks ago. All of them had the normal eye stripes and what not, except for one. This guy has a slightly different looking bill, a more square head, a patch of feathers on his head that is slightly higher than the rest, and he's the same coloring as a roman gosling. Now to the point. My tufted roman gander was mating with the mom of these babies, while his mate was setting. Would there be any possible way on earth that this could be a hybrid? He's not thrifty at all, and is almost the same size as at hatch. His siblings are at least 4 times his size. The more I look at him, the more I think he looks like a goose. I'm sure it's my imagination. Lol.

 

[The Duck ABC's]

Sounds like someone stole an egg. Birds do that a lot. No they do not cross breed, so be assured, that is it looks like a goose it is a goose.

 

[Borncountry419]

It's definitely not a goose, unless the goose somehow managed to jump 4 feet up into the Muscovy nest and then deposit a VERY small (well, compared to a goose egg) egg. And of it was a goose, it would be a weird looking gosling. Lol. It doesn't look like a Muscovy, and I've raised a LOT. It's not a mule duck, since my call ducks were the only ones mature at the time, and they're kept penned up.

 

[Denninmi]

According to Wikipedia (yeah, I know, not always the most reliable source, but generally pretty accurate

There have also been a confirmed Domestic Duck x Domestic Goose hybrid at a zoological park in copenhagen, Denmark,in 1947. Showing a duck-like head and neck on a goose-like body.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_hybrid

http://www.jstor.org/pss/4532718

I would have scoffed at this a year ago, and then I found out that not only can chickens and turkeys hybridize, but the USDA even worked on trying to develop a viable way to mass produce them back in the late 1940s (but it never worked out).

 

[Borncountry419]

Hmm. Very interesting! Unfortunately I don't think this little guy will survive. He seems kinda weak. Eats like a day old does, just nibbles. Thanks for the info!

 

[duckyfromoz]

That particular page in the document actually tells of offspring between a Cananda goose and Tule white fronted goose bed at the zoo in the first paragraph- but the last line gives reference to a duck / goose cross being acquired from a farmer. Pity they didnt have DNA testing back then to know for sure- as who knows what the farmer was really trying to pass of as a hybrid. From reading the citation it does mention that the bird showed to not " have the nervous mechanisms underlying the sexual patterns " and therefore deemed as sterile after hormone therapy failed to stimulate sexual activity. Much like a cross between a mallard derived and muscovy duckling will grow to be. All very interesting though..... Borncountry419 Do you have a photo you can post of your baby??

 

[desertdarlene]

Very interesting. Can you post a photo?

 

[Borncountry419]

I'm posting from my phone, but I can try hopping on the computer tomorrow to post one.