can different geese create mules???

[GardenerGal]

And I think that these species are considered "exotics," aren't they? Not considered domestic geese.
Here in Massachusetts you have to have a permit to keep Canada geese, though I'm not sure about the other wild species.

Egyptians, Canada, snow, barnacle --- anything that has an identical counterpart in the wild.

 

[DNAatWork]

I've seen a crossed canadian goose that was crossed with an african, or maybe an barnacle goose. It was really unique.

 

[GardenerGal]

Someone posted pictures of a Canada-Toulouse cross, a couple years ago. The crosses are mules - sterile - but they do make for unusual barnyard specimens.

 

[desertdarlene]

This is interesting. We have a widowed domestic mix-breed goose who is "in love" with a Canada goose and is determined to have him as a mate, though he seems rather uninterested in her other than a flockmate. It's almost like they speak two different languages bodywise. I was wondering about what would happen if they mated.

 

[GardenerGal]

This is interesting. We have a widowed domestic mix-breed goose who is "in love" with a Canada goose and is determined to have him as a mate, though he seems rather uninterested in her other than a flockmate. It's almost like they speak two different languages bodywise. I was wondering about what would happen if they mated.

That's a really cool observation, desertdarlene. The genetically "wired" behaviors of Canada geese (genus Branta) are different from those of domestic goose species (genus Anser). But in spite of that, sometimes if there are no other choices for mates, they will mate with each other. If your goose and "brant" succeed in mating, any offspring will be mules. They are just closely related enough, genetically, to produce offspring, but they have different numbers of chromasomes that, when put together, will be an uneven "match" like a zipper that isn't lined up right -- so the offspring would have an uneven set of unmatchable chromasomes that thus can't be passed on.

 

[AquaEyes]

Many male ducks typically imprint on their mothers as a model for what to look for in a mate. At sexual maturity, the presence of a female matching this model will initiate courtship behaviors. When males are fostered by a female of another species, they will often solicit that species over their own. I don't remember if this also applies to geese, but it's possible. So it might be easier to cross a Canadian that was raised by a domestic.

 

[GardenerGal]

I've noticed that ducks (females) head-bob as a mating precursor, even if they were not raised by a duck or exposed to adult ducks during their "ducklinghood." Likewise, geese I've raised from hatchlings have exhibited normal goose courtship-mating behavior with each other (and also with ducks!). They seem to "know what they know" without learning from parents.

Mammals, particularly the more "intellectually-socially evolved" species, seem to be more likely to learn their courtship behaviors rather than innately "know" them. Our closest primate relatives are especially reliant on learning by observation. The more brain the species has, the more dependent it is on learning, rather than instinct.

AE, have you done any studies/reading on male songbird melodies varying with region, and same with crow "dialects"? Not quite what we're discussing with waterfowl, but fascinating just the same!

 

[AquaEyes]

I've noticed that ducks (females) head-bob as a mating precursor, even if they were not raised by a duck or exposed to adult ducks during their "ducklinghood." Likewise, geese I've raised from hatchlings have exhibited normal goose courtship-mating behavior with each other (and also with ducks!). They seem to "know what they know" without learning from parents.

Mammals, particularly the more "intellectually-socially evolved" species, seem to be more likely to learn their courtship behaviors rather than innately "know" them. Our closest primate relatives are especially reliant on learning by observation. The more brain the species has, the more dependent it is on learning, rather than instinct.

AE, have you done any studies/reading on male songbird melodies varying with region, and same with crow "dialects"? Not quite what we're discussing with waterfowl, but fascinating just the same!

I've only read studies, not done them myself. But yes -- and also in parrots. Last semester I discussed an article on yellow naped amazon parrots that learn calls after fledging from unrelated peers composing their roosting flock.

 

[desertdarlene]

I just wanted to update that the widowed domestic goose and the Canada gander are slowly learning each other's language and are getting along better. For a while, she seemed very frustrated because the Canada goose would hide behind his friend who didn't like her and would chase her off. The Canada gooose's friend, another domestic greylag-type goose, seemed to know how to speak Canada, so they understood each other.

 

[GardenerGal]

(putting on my thick, phony French accent, a la Pepe le Pew) "Aahhhhh, zee language of amour........."