During Winter small numbers of Pink-footed Geese are usually present with the Greenland White-fronted Geese on the North Slob in County Wexford and this remains one of the most reliable sites to see the species.
Irish Name: | Gé ghobghearr |
Scientific name: | Anser brachyrhynchus |
Bird Family: | Geese |
A scarce winter visitor from October to March usually associating with other geese.
Very similar to Greylag Goose and care is needed to separate the two species. Pink-footed Goose appears slightly smaller than Greylag Goose in direct comparison. Adult Pink-feet can be identified by the darker brown head and neck, as well as the small and dark beak. Occasionally has a white rim surrounding the bill as in Greenland White-fronted Goose. Juvenile pink-footed geese are very similar to adults, but can be distinguished by the lack of barring on the flanks and wings.
Usually silent, though a “wink-wink” is given in flight.
Like other geese species, Pink-footed Geese feed mainly on grasses.
Breeds on the open tundra of Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard from May to August.
Pink-footed Geese winter on the coastal marshes of the UK, as well as Belgium and Denmark. It is only a scarce visitor to Ireland associating with other wintering geese such as Greylag and White-fronts.
During Winter small numbers of Pink-footed Geese are usually present with the Greenland White-fronted Geese on the North Slob in County Wexford and this remains one of the most reliable sites to see the species.
Breeding range in Iceland and Greenland.
Each winter we monitor Ireland's waterbird populations through I-WeBS - a survey coordinated by BirdWatch Ireland, funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and carried out by a network of bird surveyors who volunteer their time and expertise.
The I-WeBS office is interested in any records of Greylag or Pink-footed Geese this winter - please email us at iwebs@birdwatchireland.ie with numbers, locations and dates.
The website 'IrishBirding' was also a useful source for this article.
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