Julie Gardiners interesting post on the whereabouts of the last Etherow Country Park Egyptian Goose (Etherow CP sightings thread) had me thinking about Natural Englands apparent reluctance to licence the re-release of the bird, as a non-indigenous species. It is of course true to describe Egyptian Goose as an introduced species in the UK, but its one which has been part of the British scene since the 18th century. Its firmly on the list of British species https://www.bou.org.uk/british-list/

Egyptian Goose is categorised on the British list as C1, C5 and E.

Category C
Species that, although introduced, now derive from the resulting self-sustaining populations.

C1 Naturalized introduced species - species that have occurred only as a result of introduction, e.g. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus

C5 Vagrant naturalized species species from established naturalized populations abroad, e.g. possibly some Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea occurring in Britain.

Egyptian Goose was added to category C5 when a Dutch-ringed bird occurred in Cleveland last year https://www.bou.org.uk/british-list/changes-6-aug-2018/.

It would be unlawful to release a bird of a species which was not established, or which was breeding in the UK but likely to decline and disappear:
The newly created Category C6 recognises that some previously established naturalized introductions to Britain have declined (and others may do so in the future) to a level that is no longer self-sustaining, and which will ultimately lead to extinction. Further releases of such non-native species are prohibited under Section 14 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

It is clear that Egyptian Goose doesnt fall in to that category and it is acknowledged that the species has expanded its range in the UK:
http://www.nonnativespecies.org/factsheet/factsheet.cfm?speciesId=140

To release a bird of a non-native species is illegal:
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Section 14 Introduction of new species

Subject to the provisions of this Part, any person who

(a)releases, or allows to escape from captivity, any animal

(i)to a place outwith its native range

To describe Egyptian Goose as such would be dubious, given its status as an established species. Maybe it then comes down to whether this species is naturally occurring in Greater Manchester?

For the purposes of this section the definition of wild bird in section 27(1) is to be read as not including any bird which is shown to have been bred in captivity unless it has been lawfully released into the wild as part of a re-population or re-introduction programme.

Julie comments that this last Egyptian Goose has been living at Etherow for about 15 years. I remember seeing Egyptian Geese there in 1995 (I cant remember how many without digging out old notebooks). How long had they already been present by then and when was the species first present there? How did it first occur there and did it ever breed there? Egyptian Goose has bred at least once recently at Tatton Park, so is undoubtedly a breeding species in the NW of England. The current Egyptian Goose surely cant have been present in 1995, so in the intervening years did breeding take place?

Surely Natural England wouldnt object to the re-release of a Mandarin from Etherow - is that any different to the Egyptian Goose? Im certain they wouldnt try to block the re-release of a Pheasant, Red-Legged Partridge or Little Owl? All in the same category as Egyptian Goose.

Lots of questions..

On the subject of the same species did the Platt Fields Park Egyptian Goose disappear? That had a BTO metal ring, but had been ringed there. Was it ever prone to wandering?