Odd couple raising eyebrows amongst visitors to Slimbridge
As breeding season gets in full swing there is one couple at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire who are raising eyebrows amongst visitors.
A male bar-headed goose has seemingly fallen in love with a female mallard duck and is doing everything in his power to woo her. He is intensely protective and follows her around, fiercely chasing away any geese or ducks who dare to come within half a metre of her.
Slimbridge Reserve Warden, James Lees said: “I have certainly never seen anything like it in my time here. I’m not sure whether he thinks he is a mallard or whether he thinks she is a bar-headed goose, but I guess they do say love is blind. He seems to get most protective over her when he sees another goose come near her. She doesn’t seem to mind him following her or else she would fly away from him so I think she must like him too.
“Geese generally like to stay on land so he is doing a lot more swimming than usual to make sure he is close to her.”
