Chinese Goose

The Chinese Goose is a breed of domesticated goose descended from the wild Swan Goose.

Chinese geese differ from the wild birds in being much larger in size and having a basal knob on the upper side of the bill. The knob at the top of the beak is more prominent on males than females. It takes several months for the knob to become pronounced enough that it can be used for determining gender.

Chinese geese are a close cousin of the African goose, a heavier breed also descended from the swan goose.

Chinese geese appear in two varieties: a brown similar to the wild swan goose and white.

The geese in the photo were seen on the Leeds and Liverpool canal near Withnell.