Does anyone know what these birds are?

[Cassie_7]

On my run earlier today I came across these birds close to water on our local golf club in the south east. (UK). They were the size of geese and had blue tail feathers underneath, a bit like those in peacocks but much shorter. They had distinctive dark circles around the eyes. I have never seen them before only the usual much smaller water birds like mallards and cootes. Any ideas? Hubby put a picture of them into Google and Egyptian geese came up but they seem to have red circles around the eyes.

[FriendofRondo]

Yes, they are Egyptian Geese!

[Cassie_7 in reply to FriendofRondo]

Many thanks!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

No idea but they’re handsome little flyers! Lovely pic!

[Cassie_7 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Yes they are thanks!

[Cmoi Graduate10]

As FriendofRondo says, Egyptian geese. I had no clue so googled! In this photo there appear to be red rings round eyes: bto.org/understanding-birds...

[Cassie_7 in reply to Cmoi]

They looked like they had black not red around the eyes which threw me.

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to Cassie_7]

It'll be winged eyeliner.

[Hedgehogs123 Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

😁

[Folkylass Administrator]

Hi Cassie_7 yes they are Egyptian Geese and like Cmoi I too googled them 😂

[Cassie_7 in reply to Folkylass]

Many thanks!

[Mumpark Graduate10]

Yes they are Egyptian geese we have had them in our local park for a few years and they are always the first ones to have babies they are really protective of their offspring and shout loudly if you go near them

[Cassie_7 in reply to Mumpark]

Awww, first time I have seen them in that location. I guess it was the male was making a very strange rasping type huffing noise.

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

Yes, definitely Egyptian geese - we have them on a pond nearby in Surrey. Beautiful!🙂

[Hedgehogs123 Graduate10]

Wow how weird, I saw two exactly like them when I was running the other day. I tried to take a photo but my phone didnt really zoom in enough. I had to stop and watch them as they were so different to all the other geese we normally have near us. Absolutely stunning birds. They also made a strange noise which I havene't before. How strange that you had them near you too. Im in Lincolnshire. I thought the rings around their eyes were black and from a distance I thought they had the colouring of pheasants but they were definately the same type as the ones in your photo.