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Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) Alternate name(s): "Pig Goose" Aboriginal name(s): Race "novaehollandiae": "tulka" [yartwatjali], "kaRal" [tjapwurrung, western djadajwurrung]; "lowrie" Race "grisea": "karnkarn" Size: 75-90 cm; wing span 1.5-1.9 m Body mass: 3.2-5.1 kg Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 3.0

Australia: Family Group 2 Family Group 2 Table Magpie Goose Cape Barren Goose Black Swan Plumed Whistling-Duck Wandering Whistling-Duck Spotted Whistling-Duck Blue-billed Duck Musk Duck Hardhead Australian Wood Duck Pink-eared Duck Grey Teal Chestnut Teal Garganey Australian Shelduck Radjah Shelduck Freckled Duck Pacific Black Duck Green Pygmy-Goose Cotton Pygmy-Goose Australasian Shoveler Australasian Grebe Hoary-headed Grebe Great Crested Grebe Emperor Penguin King Penguin Adelie Penguin Chinstrap Penguin Gentoo Penguin Royal Penguin Macaroni Penguin Rockhopper Penguin Little Penguin Magellanic Penguin Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Cape Barren Geese are all-grey geese, with a dark-grey tail and dark-grey tips of their flight feathers. On their upperwings their feathers have small dark-grey dots. The cap is light-grey, most of the upper mandible is light yellow, while the rest of the bill is black. The legs are pink, the feet grey. Cape Barren goslings are boldly striped.

Taxonomy, classification See Cape Barren Goose at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Cape Barren Goose is available HERE . Cape Barren Geese are endemic to Australia. Race "novaehollandiae" inhabits the coastal areas of south-eastern SA and VIC, from Eyre Peninsula to about the NSW/QLD border. They are also found on the eastern side of Tasmania. Race "grisea" is found in a small area on the South Coast of WA. There are introduced populations on Maria Island (TAS), King Island (Bass Strait) and Kangaroo Island, SA, as well as Canberra, ACT, and in New Zealand. During the breeding season they are predominantly found on small southern offshore islands dominated by grass tussocks and small shrubs. Outside the breeding season they prefer open grassland for feeding.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "novaehollandiae" C. Lawrence reports spotting Cape Barren Geese, race "novaehollandiae", at the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, Taranna, TAS, in December 2013. J. Greaves reports spotting Cape Barren Geese, race "novaehollandiae", at Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, where they are introduced, in March 2016. M. Eaton found Cape Barren Geese, race "novaehollandiae", at Port Arthur, TAS, in April 2021 and again in September 2021. Others were found on Bruny Island, TAS, in September 2024.

Photos

Race "novaehollandiae"

ADULT

PAIR

Near-frontal view of a pair of Cape Barren Geese (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Arthur, TAS, April 2021]

Near-frontal/dorsal view of a pair of Cape Barren Geese (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Arthur, TAS, September 2021]

Lateral view of a pair of Cape Barren Geese feeding on grass (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Arthur, TAS, September 2021]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a resting Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Frontal view of a Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Arthur, TAS, April 2021]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bruny Island, TAS, September 2024]

Near-lateral portrait of a Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Close-up lateral portrait of a Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Lateral view of a Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of C. Lawrence)
[Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, Taranna, TAS, December 2013]

Lateral view of a Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Arthur, TAS, April 2021]

Lateral view of a Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Arthur, TAS, April 2021]

Lateral view of Cape Barren Geese (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Arthur, TAS, April 2021]

"Double-headed and four-legged" Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Dorsal view of a Cape Barren Goose (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Dorsal view of a Cape Barren Goose spreading its wings, thereby displaying the upperwing pattern
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Breeding information

Breeding season: May - Oct

Eggs: 3 - 6

Incubation period: 34 - 37 days

Fledging age: 70 - 76 days

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Reeds, grass; feather lining

Height above ground: N/A

Lateral view of a Cape Barren Goose on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port Arthur, TAS, September 2021]

Nest building: Male

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Male & female

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 79 x 58 mm

Colour: Creamy white

Shape: Elliptical

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial/communal

Mobility: Migratory/dispersive

Elementary unit: Pair/family clan/flock

During the breeding season, at their breeding grounds on offshore islands, pairs of Cape Barren Geese are fiercely territorial. When breeding is finished, they move to better pastures, either on the islands where they have bred or on the continent. Outside the breeding season, Cape Barren Geese are communal, forming flocks of up to a few hundred birds.

Food, Diet

Like all other geese, ducks and swans, Cape Barren Geese are vegetarian. They feed on plants on land, mostly grasses.

Small covey of Cape Barren Geese on pasture (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Lateral portrait of a Cape Barren Goose feeding on pasture (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Lateral portrait of a Cape Barren Goose feeding on pasture (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Karatta, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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