Blue-winged Goose (Rescue Series by Yowie Group)

Yowies are small plastic figures sold blindly in chocolate-wrapped capsules, similar to Kinder Surprise toys. They originated in Australia in 1995 as a publishing brand by Cadbury and Kidcorp. The first four series consisted of 50 figures each represening species endemic to Australia. The figures had to be assembled and were often quite stylized. Despite not always being the best representative of their respective species, they remain popular with collectors as many of them represent unique species endemic to Australia. The fourth and fifth series featured species from outside the Australian region. Eventually other series would be released including the two Lost Kingdom Series that features prehistoric species, the Forgotten Friends which represent recently extinct species, and the Adventure Series. There were also two series released in the United Kingdom that features solid-piece figures, often slightly better than their Australian counterparts with regards to scientific accuracy. Production ceased after 2004, until 2012 when a new company called Yowie Group was created based out of the Unites States (this company is often refered to as Yowie USA on the forums). Yowie Group figures are of a much better quality than their Australian and UK counterparts, and focus very heavily on endangered and vulnerable species. There have been five series at the time of this writing. Presented here is the blue-winged goose, Cyanochen cyanoptera (Ruppell, 1845), from the Rescue Series.

The blue-winged goose is an enigmatic species of waterfowl endemic to Ethiopia. Its placement among other Anseriformes is a matter of debate, and recent molecular analysis suggests it might be basal to other waterfowl. It occurs in a variety of freshwater habitats, including rivers, lakes, swamps, and man-made reservoirs.

The figure, like all Yowies, is small, measuring 5.5 cm long by 3.2 cm high by 2.8 cm wide. Because of the posture, calculating a scale is difficult. The detail is spectacular for such a simple and small figure. It is in a resting posture, and the underside of the body and feet are sculpted (instead of having a false flat bottom).

This little gem comes highly recommended to anyone collecting unique and uncommonly made species, or for anyone who prefers to collect smaller figures. Because they are sold blindly, you might have to buy several Yowies before coming across your desired target! Yowie Group figures are rated on a scale from Mythic (the fewest made) to Common (the most commonly made), and the blue-winged goose is rated as ‘Common’. Yowies are sold commonly on eBay (where I bought mine), and the STS Forum has threads devoted to trading extra Yowies.