#cereopsis

Cape Barren Geese (Cereopsis novaehollandiae), family Anatidae, order Anseriformes, order found in various spotty areas on the southern coast of mainland Australia and Tasmania

Cape Barren goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)

By J. J. Harrison, CC BY-SA 3.0 

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Name: Cereopsis novaehollandiae 

Status: Extant 

First Described: 1801 

Described By: Latham

Classification: Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Galloanserae, Anseriformes, Anseres, Anatoidea, Anatidae, Anserinae

Cereopsis, or the Cape Barren Goose, is one of the more visually distinctive geese out there, fairly bulky and uniformly grey with short, triangular and yellow beaks. This makes it look like many geese that have actually evolved for terrestrial life & flightlessness, though the Cape Barren Goose has not done so. They can weigh up to 7 kilograms, with males being a little larger than females. Though not threatened with extinction, they have only a very limited range of habitats, mostly along the southern coast of Australia and portions of Tasmania, and are considered one of the world’s rarest geese. They can drink salt water, hence the habitat choice, so they manage to carve out a unique habitat on the shore that other geese cannot as well take advantage of. They are very social, making large flocks that shrink in size during the breeding season. During the breeding season, they nest in grassy areas off of the coast in colonies. 

Source: 

Cape Barren Geese (Cereopsis novaehollandiae), family Anatidae, Tasmania, Australia

Top - gosling, Mid & Bttm - adults

Cape Barren Goose, Cereopsis novaehollandiae by *amy&kimball on Flickr.