Photo ©2013 - Simon J Tonge
Click any photo for a larger image
Photo ©2014 - Simon J Tonge
Photo ©2013 - Simon J Tonge
Click any photo for a larger image
Photo ©2014 - Simon J Tonge
Western Greylag Goose - Anser anser anser
Family - Anatidae
The Greylag Goose is a familiar sight in and around parks, gravel pits and river valleys, but these populations tend to be semi-tame, having been reintroduced. Truly wild populations can be found in Scotland. This is a large, robust waterfowl weighting on average 3.5Kg (7.7lb) and living for about eight years, they boast a distinctive grey-brown plumage, with a pale underbelly and a bright orange beak. Their long, pink legs and sturdy frame make them unmistakable as they waddle or take to the skies in noisy, honking V-shaped formations. Their adaptable nature means they thrive in both urban and rural environments, which provide a perfect habitat for them.
Greylag geese are often heard before they’re seen, with their loud calls filling the air as they communicate with one another or warn of potential danger. Despite their vocal nature, they are generally peaceful and curious, they are the type species of the genus Anser. Classified in the UK as Amber (population increasing) under the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List for Birds (2021), they are rotected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Two subspecies are recognised: A. a. anser, the Western Greylag goose, which breeds in Iceland and northern and central Europe and A. a. rubrirostris, the Eastern Greylag goose, which breeds in Romania, Turkey, and Russia eastwards to northeastern China.
Length: 76-89cm,
Wingspan: 1.6m,
Weight: 3-4kg.
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