The swan goose

A swan goose raised in captivity is seen in Bao’an District. Photos by Issac Cohen

The swan goose

The swan goose (Anser cygnoides) is a large goose with a natural breeding range in Inner Mongolia, northernmost China, and the Russian Far East. Still, it has been introduced to other regions as a domestic animal, including the rural areas of Shenzhen.

鸿雁是一种大型雁科鸟类，原产于中国内蒙古、俄罗斯等远东地区。我们常见的家鹅即是由鸿雁驯化而来，在深圳及周边地区的村庄里都能找到它们的踪影。

This fascinating bird belongs to the family of ducks and swans. With a large body and long neck, these birds in the wild are about 90 centimeters long and weigh about 3 kilograms or more.

鸿雁与鸭类和天鹅的近亲，颈部长，躯干硕大，野生个体体长可达90厘米，体重可达3千克以上。

Swan geese raised in captivity is seen in Bao’an District.

Its head and neck are brown on top and back and whitish on the lower parts. Its beak is black and very broad, with a prominent protuberance on the base; in some individuals, a white line separates the beak from the face. Their body is grayish-brown, with a white belly and under tail coverts. Their legs and feet are orange.

鸿雁头顶至后颈棕褐色，至颈下部过渡位白色，喙黑色，形状平扁宽阔，嘴基部具显著的疣状突。部分个体的嘴基部与脸部之间具白色细纹，将两者分开。躯干覆羽灰棕色，下腹及尾下覆羽白色，跗跖和脚橙红色。

The swan goose is an herbivore, feeding on various plants, including grasses, sedges, and aquatic vegetation. However, it also feeds on insects and other small invertebrates during the breeding season.

鸿雁属草食性鸟类，以禾草、蒲草、水草等为食，繁殖期为了补充营养，也吃昆虫等小型无脊椎动物。

Swan geese raised in captivity are seen in Bao’an District.

Their breeding season occurs in the spring, with females laying up to six eggs per clutch in a nest on the ground; both parents will take turns to incubate the eggs, which hatch after about a month. The baby swan geese will be ready to go on their own very soon after hatching.

鸿雁每年春季繁殖，在地面筑巢，雌性每窝产卵可达6枚，孵化工作由亲鸟轮流承担，一个月后雏鸟即破壳，因属早成鸟，雏雁出生后便具行动能力。

The swan goose plays an essential role in its ecosystem as a seed disperser, helping to spread the seeds of the plants it feeds on. As a prey species, it provides food for larger predators such as foxes and eagles. The swan goose is also an important game bird and is raised for food in some areas, as is the case in our city.

鸿雁在取食植物的过程中助力了种子的传播，因此在生态系统中扮演着重要的角色，此外，它们还为狐狸、雕等顶级捕食者的提供食物，也是古代人主要的狩猎对象之一。如今，鸿雁已被划分为我国的二级保护动物，而由其驯化来的家鹅，则作为重要的经济动物被广泛饲养。