Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Red-breasted Goose
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Branta ruficollis
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Voice
Call
Call
Song
How to recognize it
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Body length 53–56 cm; short, thick neck and small bill
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Chestnut-red cheeks, throat and breast, each patch edged with a thin white line
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Black crown and back; broad white stripe along the flanks
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Shrill, staccato call, "ki-kui"
About the species
The Red-breasted Goose has black-and-white coloring marked with chestnut-red across its cheeks, throat and breast. Fine white edges outline these patches, and a narrow black stripe runs through the eye beside a small white spot near the bill. A broad white stripe along each flank adds another clear band of contrast.
On migration, flocks wheel and dart in quick, restless bursts, even after other geese have settled to feed. Their calls are sharp, two-part notes — "ki-kui" — and takeoffs bring a louder chorus of honks. In the Arctic, pairs often nest near peregrine falcons or snowy owls; these neighbors help keep foxes away from the nests.
It breeds on the tundra of Arctic Siberia, then migrates south for winter, mainly to wetlands around the Black Sea. By day it feeds on land, taking grasses, leaves and seeds from grasslands and fields; at night it rests on water or in marshy places.
Where to find
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In winter, around lakes and lagoons of the western Black Sea region, look for Red-breasted Goose feeding by day on nearby pastures and winter-sown fields.
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During migration, scan the Ob floodplains or the Tobol and Ishim valleys for small flocks stopping to feed and rest.
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In June and July, on dry raised tundra near river bluffs on Taymyr, keep your distance: pairs nest near raptor nests, while males guard the nest from afar.
