Page 97 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WILDFOWL
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae Species Anser brachyrhynchus
Pink-footed Goose

very dark, round
narrow dark tail-band head contrasts with
pale breast
white-barred, pale
grey back (browner,
pale grey less neatly barred small bill with
broad wings on juvenile) pink band
white
tail tip
ADULT
IN FLIGHT

darker bars on flanks
pale to rich dark underwings
pink legs
ADULT

ADULT

ith large population increases in recent decades,
Wthe Pink-footed Goose is found in tens of FLIGHT: direct, strong flight, head and neck short;
thousands in favoured places, with regular daily forms long lines and “V” shapes.
feeding and roosting regimes. Evening flights to the
roosts, especially, are spectacular, unless the feeding
geese are encouraged to stay away all night under the
light of a full moon. By day, they feed in dense flocks
on fields, and are sometimes surprisingly difficult to
locate.They are usually wary and difficult to approach.
VOICE Like Bean Goose but less deep, resonant ahng-
unk and frequent higher wink-wink.
NESTING Down-lined nest on ground in open
tundra and exposed rocky slopes; 4–6 eggs; 1 brood;
June–July. FEEDING IN FLOCKS
FEEDING Large flocks eat grass, waste grain, sugar Pink-footed Geese generally feed in dense groups with much noise and
beet tops, carrots, and potatoes. activity. They frequently mix with other geese species.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in Greenland, Iceland, and
BEAN GOOSE longer GREYLAG GOOSE heavier Svalbard. Moves to Great Britain
see p.94 neck see p.96 pale and Low Countries in winter,
bill
roosting on large lakes, estuaries,
and low-lying islands offshore;
feeding on marshes, pasture, and
larger arable land, close to coast.
orange darker and
legs browner Seen in the UK
JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 64–76cm (25–30in) Wingspan 1.37–1.61m (4 1 ⁄2 –5 1 ⁄4ft) Weight 2.5–2.7kg (5 1 ⁄2 –6lb)
Social Large flocks Lifespan 10–20 years Status Secure
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