A review of the use of birds’ nests by Egyptian geese, including a breeding attempt in a hooded vulture nest

Abstract

Egyptian geese Alopochen aegyptiaca are widely reported to be territorial and aggressive. They are known to attack and sometimes kill other birds and they may attempt to usurp their nests. Here information is collated on the bird species whose nests have been used or usurped by Egyptian geese. Also presented are observations from a series of camera trap images of an Egyptian goose laying eggs and incubating in a hooded vulture Necrosyrtes monachus nest to which a juvenile hooded vulture returned repeatedly for food. Ten aggressive encounters were recorded between the Egyptian goose and the hooded vultures; the goose prevailed in five of these encounters, the vultures in four and on one occasion both vultures and goose fled the nest. This is the first time that an Egyptian goose has been recorded breeding in a hooded vulture nest. The hooded vulture chick successfully fledged and although the goose incubated for at least 20 days, for reasons unknown, its breeding attempt ultimately failed.

Keywords: Alopochen aegyptiaca, camera trap, interspecies aggression, Necrosyrtes monachus, nest competition, usurpation