Egyptian Geese – also known as Nil Geese named for their place of origin (the Nile Valley in Africa) – are large, very distinctive waterbirds with conspicuous dark chocolate-brown eye patches. These water birds are excellent swimmers, but are mostly terrestrial and can be seen perching on trees and buildings. Their maximum recorded lifespan in captivity is 25 years. The ancient Egyptians considered the Egyptian Geese sacred and these geese appeared in much of their artwork. They occur in various wetland habitats, grasslands or agricultural lands that are close to rivers, dams, lakes, reservoirs, marshes, estuaries, sewage works and, occasionally, offshore islands.
