Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Pink-footed Goose
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Anser brachyrhynchus
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How to recognize it
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Medium-sized goose, compact build
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Short bill with black base and tip, pink in the middle
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Pink legs; in flight, very vocal with high-pitched honking
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Grey-brown body, head and neck darker
About the species
Pink-footed Geese travel in large, noisy flocks, and their high-pitched honking carries well in flight. They are usually on the move together, with goslings following the parents on foot to nearby water after hatching.
They breed in small clusters, nesting close together on low rises, piles of stones, or cliffs near glaciers. The nest is a shallow scrape lined with down, and the young leave it soon after hatching.
Outside the breeding season, they graze on farmland and feed mostly on plants. In winter, they spend the season in northwest Europe, especially Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and western Denmark, and they move north again in spring.
Where to find
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On winter fields at the city edge and trimmed lawns, a flock grazes low grass and picks up leftover grain or roots after harvest.
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Along canal banks, pond edges, and broad embankments, look for small groups calmly nibbling shoreline vegetation and calling in rough honks.
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On wide open lawns beside vacant lots, they often stay alert in the open — then lift off with loud V-shaped skeins over the rooftops.
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At muddy water margins with reeds, they step into the shallows to feed, dabbling with heads down and feet shuffling beneath the surface.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Anser brachyrhynchus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Pink-footed goose Encyclopedia article