Expert: Roger Lederer - 5/15/2006

Question
There is a goose at my husbands work that looks rather different than all the others.  Each goose has a black head and a white stripe that goes from one side of the head, around underneath the head, to the other side.  Whitie's head is almost all white.  He stands taller than his mate, who is a canadian goose.  His feet are also an orange/pink color.  The rest of Whitie is just like any Canadian goose.  Is Whitie albino?  If he was albino, wouldnt all of his body be white?  Where does his size come from?  I have pictures of him, his mate, and other geese. If you want them, let me know.
Thanks, Melissa

Answer
Canada geese that hang around domestic geese often interbreed, resulting in a variety of colors, patterns, and other variations. Canada Geese (not Canadian, but Canada) come in a variety of sizes as well. And albinos can be totally white or they can be partial albinos, with only patches of white. Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com