In the spotlight

Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)

Having been brought here from sub-saharan origins to adorn ornamental ponds, the Egyptian goose can now be seen paddling about on pink legs in gravel pits, lowland lakes, wetlands, along the north Norfolk coast, on the Norfolk Broads and the River Thames. Alopochen aegyptiaca’s eyes are engulfed by big, brown smudges, like a Biba model of the early 1970s, obvious against her pale-beige head and body plumage. Patches of chestnut and white may be seen on the folded wing, but, in flight, large areas of black and white are distinctive. The males of the species are similar.

The first Egyptian geese arrived here long ago in the collections of exotic-bird fanciers, but small wild populations have appeared in recent decades, despite the estuaries of south-eastern counties being far from the warmth of Africa and the Nile. But old ways die hard and, despite their webbed feet, these birds prefer to nest early, high up in a tree near the water. The attractive, brown-and-white chicks may, therefore, need to fledge with a leap into the unknown.