Greylag Goose

Overview

The greylag goose (Anser anser) is a large waterfowl and the ancestor of most domestic goose breeds. It is the largest and bulkiest of the grey geese in the genus Anser, characterised by a rotund body and mottled grey plumage.

Identification

• Plumage: Greyish brown with a darker head, pale breast and belly, and variable black spotting; features a distinctive 'concertina' pattern of feather folds on the neck in adults.
• Size: A large bird measuring 74 to 91 cm in length with a wingspan of 147 to 180 cm, and an average weight of 3.3 kg.
• Bill and Legs: Possesses an orange or pink bill with a white or brown nail, and pink legs and feet.
• Call: Emits a loud cackling call described as "aahng-ung-ung"; flocks produce a sound resembling the baying of hounds.

Habitat

This species has a Palearctic distribution, breeding on moorlands, marshes, lakes and coastal islands in Europe and Asia. In winter, it occupies semi-aquatic habitats such as estuaries, marshes and flooded fields, although many populations are now resident year-round in areas like southern England.

Diet

Largely herbivorous, feeding chiefly on grasses, water plants like duckweed, and tubers such as sea clubrush and potatoes. In winter, they forage on cereal stubbles and crops, often moving to coastal mud-banks or secluded lakes at night, and occasionally consume small fish, invertebrates and insects.

Did you know?

Homosexual pairs are common among greylag geese, comprising 14 to 20% of pairs in some flocks, and these couples often assume high-ranking positions in the flock due to their superior strength and courage. Some speculate that these same-sex pairs may serve as guardians of the flock.