Behavioural comparative study of the normal, leucistic and partially albinistic forms of a Greylag Geese Anser anser flock.

Full article

Published:

Volume 46(2), December 1999. Pages 213-222.

Language:

Spanish

Original title:

Estudio comparativo del comportamiento de las formas normal, leucística y parcialmente albina de un bando de Ánsares Comunes Anser anser

Keywords:

Anser anser, colour, behavioural differences, margination, space-time distribution, vigilance rate.

Abstract:

We studied the behaviour of 12 Greylag Geese Anser anser according to the colour of its plumage: white in the leucistic individuals, yellowish in the partially albinos and grey in the normal forms. The partially albinos present a more or less extended lack of melanin in their plumage, eyes, skin, legs and beak. The leucistic individuals are white but they have eyes, skin, legs and beak with a normal coloration. The geese, individually recognizable, were observed in semicaptive conditions from December 1996 to March 1997 at «La Cañada de los Pájaros» (Sevilla). We found significant differences in the proportion of the time spent preening and its distribution along the day between the partially albinistic individuals and the rest of the group (Fig. 1). The former spent more time in courtship and away from the flock (Figs. 3 and 4). The leucistic individuals presented a vigilance rate higher than grey´s (Fig. 2), a fact that could be due the higher detectability of white plumages.