Name: Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)
Length: 60 – 75 cm.
Weight: 1.5 – 3.5 kg.
Location: Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard. Winters in northwest Europe (Great Britain, Netherlands, Denmark).
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Diet: Water plants, beets, potatoes, grains.
Appearance: Pink feet, short pink bill with black base and tip. Brown body, head, and neck with white trim and a white tail.
How do Pink-footed Geese feed?
During the winter months, Pink-footed Geese forage near farmlands, potentially damaging crops. Measures are in place to provide alternative food sources to mitigate crop damage.
Are Pink-footed Geese social?
Pink-footed Geese migrate in large flocks that can number in the thousands, but they are generally not social during non-migratory periods.
How fast do Pink-footed Geese fly?
Migration speeds can vary based on weather conditions, with average speeds ranging from 40 km/h to 60 km/h.
What are Pink-footed Geese birthing rituals like?
Pink-footed Geese nest on cliffs or lake islets to avoid predators. Females lay 3 to 6 eggs in a nest lined with plants and down. Incubation lasts about a month, and goslings fledge around 2 months after hatching. Families migrate together in autumn, and juveniles remain with their parents until the next breeding season.
How long do Pink-footed Geese live?
Pink-footed Geese live about 20 years in the wild.
How many Pink-footed Geese are there today?
Population estimates:
- Great Britain – 292,000
- Denmark and Netherlands – 34,000
Do Pink-footed Geese have any natural predators?
Pink-footed Goose eggs and young are preyed upon by foxes and predatory birds like gulls.
7 Profound Pink-footed Goose Facts
- Pink-footed Geese are the most common kind of goose found in Svalbard.
- They are the largest geese to nest in Svalbard, nesting further inland to protect their young from foxes.
- There are 2 distinct populations of Pink-footed Geese, breeding in Greenland/Iceland and Svalbard respectively.
- Pink-footed Geese disturb Arctic soil, releasing carbon, which contributes to their environmental impact.
- Collective terms for geese flocks include "blizzard", "knot", "plump", "string", and "chevron".
- Pink-footed Geese have extensive ranges, estimated between 100,000 and 1,000,000 km2.
- The scientific name Anser brachyrhynchus translates from Latin and Greek as "goose with a short bill".
