ASPECTS OF THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE MAGPIE GOOSE ANSERANAS SEMIPALMATA

Abstract

Summary.Part 1.Some action patterns of the Magpie Goose are clearly ritualized as signal actions, whilst others, although not so ritualized, are none the less characteristic of particular moods of the bird. It is considered that the action patterns form a simple language such that individual geese are aware and can often anticipate the actions of other geese.Particular attention is given to fighting actions, which appear on the second day of a goose's life, and to “concerting”, at first a threat display but later also used in pair maintenance, where it appears very similar in function to the triumph display of true geese.Part 2.The family, comprising the reproductive group and its offspring, is the fundamental entity in Magpie Goose flocks. Males may be paired to one or two females, but they dominate their mates and offspring and defend a “territory” around them from other geese.Magpie Goose flocks are built up of families, each of which acts independently except in an alarm situation, when the flock acts as an entity. Flocks build up at feeding, roosting and watering sites, and although constant in location are probably composed of a different combination of families each day. The flock behaviour of Magpie Geese closely parallels that of the true geese.No alarm stimuli have been found which are innately recognized by Magpie Geese. The fact that alarm stimuli are learnt, taken with the unstable nature of the flocks, suggests that it may be very difficult to produce a “magic wand” which effectively scares the birds from rice crops.