Noticed any of these fellows lately? They're Egyptian geese. And they're everywhere in London.
The species, otherwise known as Alopochen aegyptiaca, are not native to Britain. As the name suggests, they're more commonly found in Africa. But the handsome devils have been widely imported as ornamental birds over the centuries. They're easy to identify. The plumage runs through a medley of browns and creams, but the most distinctive feature is the dark eyeliner look sported by adult birds.
Until a decade or so ago their numbers were still quite low. You'd spot them in St James's Park, for example, but suburban ponds and canals were beyond their usual hangouts. Not any more.
We've clocked them in Camden Lock and Little Venice; Greenwich Park and Hampstead Heath. They're common on the Thames foreshore and, well, just about anywhere else with water. This group were hanging out near Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.
The boom in numbers is a possible effect of climate change. The birds breed early, building nests in January or February. Historically, Britain's been too chilly for all that business. But milder winters mean more chicks survive, and numbers are clearly increasing. This pair where having a good old rut on a frosty January morn.
According to the British Trust for Ornithology, only about 900 breeding pairs could be found in the UK in 1991, and most of those were in East Anglia. The RSPB reckons some 5,600 birds now reside here over winter, but we'd submit that the number is much, much higher given how commonly we encounter them. We contacted London Wildlife Trust to get a more accurate number, but they were unable to provide any data.
The birds are now so established here that they've even integrated into British society by delaying our trains.
So, where have you spotted them in London?
