Greenland White-fronted Geese, Anser, albifons flavirostris, Flying in to Loch Gruinart, on the Islay of Islay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland.-
_ View Large _
'At the End of the Day'...On a Wild Isle.
On a bright sunny evening, with their distinctive orange bills and legs, ten of the leaders of a large flock of White-fronted Geese, Anser, albifons flavirostris flying in to settle on Loch Gruinart at the end of their grazing day out on the grasslands and scrub fields.
Greenland White-fronted Goose Notes and Information:
The White-fronted Goose is a grey goose, bigger than a mallard and smaller than a mute swan. Adults have a large white patch at the front of the head around the beak and bold black bars on the belly. The legs are orange and Siberian birds have pink bills, while Greenland birds have orange bills. This species does not breed in the UK. Two races visit the UK in winter - birds which breed in Greenland and birds which breed in Siberia. The current wintering areas need protection, including avoiding drainage of traditional wintering areas in southern England. RSPB Notes.
What they eat:
Grass, clover, grain, winter wheat and potatoes.
Measurements:
Length:65-78cm
Wingspan:130-165cm
Weight:1.9-2.5kgPopulation:
UK wintering:13,500
Identifying features:
Greenland White fronted goose
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey White
Leg colour: Orange
Beak: Orange Red Long Duck-like Chunky
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Marine and intertidal Wetland
Similar birds: Greylag goose, Taiga bean goose,
Pink-footed goose
Where and when to see them:
White-fronted geese can be seen in south England especially the Severn estuary in Gloucestershire and the Swale estuary in Kent for Siberian birds. Ireland and West Scotland for Greenland birds.
'Birdguides' Notes... Goose 'fitness tracker' reveals migration struggles
Greenland White-fronted Geese make a 600-mile round trip each year to overwinter in Scotland but not every bird finds it easy, according to new research from Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT).
Specially designed bird ‘fitness trackers’ have revealed what happens to the birds as they struggle over the sea for long distances, trying to navigate the angry North Atlantic and getting blown off course by unpredictable storms.
Migration is a particularly vulnerable time for Greenland White-fronts. One goose took just 14 and a half hours to fly from Iceland to Greenland, but two others took days to complete the same journey, being forced to spend a lot of the time bobbing on the sea.
The complete migration routes of Greenland White-fronted Geese in spring, as monitored by the WWT (WWT).
WWT researcher Ed Burrell has just returned from the tiny island of Islay, Argyll, where he’s been downloading data from the bird fitness trackers. He said: “We’ve just downloaded all this amazing data from these individual birds to see what they’ve been up to. From studying the leg from Iceland to Greenland in May this year, we see what a difference a day makes.
“We can tell that the weather turned on two birds who left the same evening, as they landed on the sea – so they wouldn’t be blown further, of course. By using an extra gadget called an accelerometer – a bird 'fitness tracker' so to speak – which measures the movement of the tag, we can tell that they bobbed about for a bit. To avoid the terrible conditions, the birds went for a swim.”
The blue-tagged goose left Iceland at 3.30 am on 6 May in calm conditions, arriving in Greenland 14-and-a-half hours later at a speed of 33.5 mph. The green-tagged goose left at 4 pm on 3 May accompanied by a good tailwind that later turned on the bird, blowing it towards the Arctic Ocean and forcing it to hunker down in the sea. It later landed in Greenland 53 hours after its journey began.
The red-tagged goose had it even worse, leaving the same evening as Green, but taking a traumatic 63 hours to complete the trip.
Researchers at WWT have been tracking these birds to find out why they are declining so rapidly. Since the turn of the century, 50 per cent of the population has vanished.
Thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd and other generous funders, WWT is able to carry out pioneering research using the finest technologies available to try and prevent further loss of these magnificent birds.
White-fronted Goose is one of eight wetland species of birds threatened with extirpation in Britain. Numbers have declined from 35,000 in 1999 to 18,900 in 2016 due to a number of threats at their breeding grounds. People keen to support our drive to save this species can donate here.
Northern Ireland Notes:
Anser albifrons flavirostris Dalgety & P. Scott, 1948
Family: Anatidae
While it may graze with other geese on manicured pastures, this goose is also a bird of wild boglands and marshes, returning faithfully each year to favoured areas. It breeds on the coastal fringes of western Greenland and winters almost entirely in Ireland and Scotland. Its eastern counterpart, the European white-fronted goose, winters in England.
In brief...
Scarce wintering bird to traditional sites in the west of Northern Ireland
Prefers blanket bog with pools or agricultural grassland
It is a winter visitor found from late October to early April
The Greenland white-fronted goose is Amber listed in both Irish and UK Birds of Conservation Concern
Threats include habitat loss from drainage, inappropriate development and disturbance.
Species description:
The white-fronted goose is a medium-sized, grey-brown goose, which is slightly smaller than the more familiar greylag goose. It has bold black bars across its belly. Its name derives from the white forehead blaze above its beak. The Greenland race is distinctive in being rather dark and having an orange bill and legs. Young birds can be distinguished early in the winter by their reduced white forehead and lack of bars on the belly.
Life cycle
Greenland white-fronted geese breed entirely in the arctic coastal fringe of western Greenland, up to 700m above sea level. They nest amongst hummocks in the tundra, and the timing of egg laying is determined by the thaw of snow. The young geese are tended by both parents and remain as a family through the first autumn and winter. They migrate to Ireland together via south-west Iceland. During the winter months the geese form flocks which remain at traditional sites. These are often improved grasslands where protein-rich shoot tips are grazed. Some small flocks remain faithful to blanket bog feeding sites where they eat the tubers of bog cotton and sedges.
Similar species:
The greylag goose is much more numerous in Northern Ireland. It is a bigger, heavier bird with a larger orange bill and pink legs and lacks the white forehead and black bars on the belly. In flight the greylag has broad pale forewings which contrast with the rest of the plumage. The pink-footed goose is a scarce migrant with pink legs, a noticeably dark head and neck and small, stubby bill. The eastern race of white-fronted goose, which is rare in Ireland, differs in having a pinkish bill.
How to see this species:
There are only a few sites where they winter regularly. On Lough Foyle they can be found feeding on the fields around the southern part of the lough. These birds are not always present, and are more often at Lough Swilly which lies just to the west in Donegal. The other flocks can be difficult to track down, leading to many real wild goose chases! The small flock at Annaghroe on the River Blackwater (County Tyrone) can often be viewed from a public road. Occasionally, flocks or single birds are seen on migration at other sites such as Strangford Lough.
Current status:
The wintering population in Northern Ireland seems to have decreased since the 1960s when around 500 wintered. Several traditional sites have been lost to drainage, peat cutting and afforestation. In recent years, numbers at Lough Foyle have been very variable, with usually between 40-50 birds present. Over 1,000 winter nearby at Lough Swilly in County Donegal. Lower Lough Macnean in County Fermanagh supports the largest regular flock of about 100 birds, while there are smaller numbers on the Pettigo Plateau bogs (Fermanagh/Donegal) and at the River Blackwater (County Tyrone). The most important site in Ireland is the Wexford Slobs which supports a spectacular 10,000 geese each winter.
This is not a quarry species and is protected under the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985. It is also listed in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive as a species which must be the subject of special conservation measures.
Why is this species a priority in Northern Ireland?
The Greenland race is Amber listed in the UK and Irish Birds of Conservation Concern lists because both UK and Ireland support more than 20 per cent of the NW European population in winter.
Threats/Causes of decline
Some traditional sites in Northern Ireland have been lost because of drainage (Downpatrick Marshes) or the encroachment of forestry. Inappropriate siting of wind turbines could also threaten some flocks and the geese are also very vulnerable to human disturbance. The world population increased following a ban on hunting in their wintering grounds in 1982, although there is evidence of a recent decrease in numbers.
Conservation of this species:
Current action
Some sites visited by this species are designated as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (DARD) Countryside Management Scheme and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme include measures designed to protect and enhance habitats for wintering geese
Some key sites are surveyed each winter by a combination of conservation bodies and volunteer counters as part of the nationally co-ordinated Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS).
Proposed objectives/actions
The status of the Greenland white-fronted goose will continue to be monitored and appropriate conservation action undertaken if required.
What you can do
Volunteer as a Wetland Bird Survey counter by contacting EHS or RSPB
Report incidents of illegal shooting to PSNI or EHS
Report any sightings to Northern Ireland Birdwatchers’ Association Flightline. Tel: 028 9146 7408.
Greenland White-fronted Geese, Anser, albifons flavirostris, Flying in to Loch Gruinart, on the Islay of Islay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland.-
_ View Large _
'At the End of the Day'...On a Wild Isle.
On a bright sunny evening, with their distinctive orange bills and legs, ten of the leaders of a large flock of White-fronted Geese, Anser, albifons flavirostris flying in to settle on Loch Gruinart at the end of their grazing day out on the grasslands and scrub fields.
Greenland White-fronted Goose Notes and Information:
The White-fronted Goose is a grey goose, bigger than a mallard and smaller than a mute swan. Adults have a large white patch at the front of the head around the beak and bold black bars on the belly. The legs are orange and Siberian birds have pink bills, while Greenland birds have orange bills. This species does not breed in the UK. Two races visit the UK in winter - birds which breed in Greenland and birds which breed in Siberia. The current wintering areas need protection, including avoiding drainage of traditional wintering areas in southern England. RSPB Notes.
What they eat:
Grass, clover, grain, winter wheat and potatoes.
Measurements:
Length:65-78cm
Wingspan:130-165cm
Weight:1.9-2.5kgPopulation:
UK wintering:13,500
Identifying features:
Greenland White fronted goose
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey White
Leg colour: Orange
Beak: Orange Red Long Duck-like Chunky
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Marine and intertidal Wetland
Similar birds: Greylag goose, Taiga bean goose,
Pink-footed goose
Where and when to see them:
White-fronted geese can be seen in south England especially the Severn estuary in Gloucestershire and the Swale estuary in Kent for Siberian birds. Ireland and West Scotland for Greenland birds.
'Birdguides' Notes... Goose 'fitness tracker' reveals migration struggles
Greenland White-fronted Geese make a 600-mile round trip each year to overwinter in Scotland but not every bird finds it easy, according to new research from Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT).
Specially designed bird ‘fitness trackers’ have revealed what happens to the birds as they struggle over the sea for long distances, trying to navigate the angry North Atlantic and getting blown off course by unpredictable storms.
Migration is a particularly vulnerable time for Greenland White-fronts. One goose took just 14 and a half hours to fly from Iceland to Greenland, but two others took days to complete the same journey, being forced to spend a lot of the time bobbing on the sea.
The complete migration routes of Greenland White-fronted Geese in spring, as monitored by the WWT (WWT).
WWT researcher Ed Burrell has just returned from the tiny island of Islay, Argyll, where he’s been downloading data from the bird fitness trackers. He said: “We’ve just downloaded all this amazing data from these individual birds to see what they’ve been up to. From studying the leg from Iceland to Greenland in May this year, we see what a difference a day makes.
“We can tell that the weather turned on two birds who left the same evening, as they landed on the sea – so they wouldn’t be blown further, of course. By using an extra gadget called an accelerometer – a bird 'fitness tracker' so to speak – which measures the movement of the tag, we can tell that they bobbed about for a bit. To avoid the terrible conditions, the birds went for a swim.”
The blue-tagged goose left Iceland at 3.30 am on 6 May in calm conditions, arriving in Greenland 14-and-a-half hours later at a speed of 33.5 mph. The green-tagged goose left at 4 pm on 3 May accompanied by a good tailwind that later turned on the bird, blowing it towards the Arctic Ocean and forcing it to hunker down in the sea. It later landed in Greenland 53 hours after its journey began.
The red-tagged goose had it even worse, leaving the same evening as Green, but taking a traumatic 63 hours to complete the trip.
Researchers at WWT have been tracking these birds to find out why they are declining so rapidly. Since the turn of the century, 50 per cent of the population has vanished.
Thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd and other generous funders, WWT is able to carry out pioneering research using the finest technologies available to try and prevent further loss of these magnificent birds.
White-fronted Goose is one of eight wetland species of birds threatened with extirpation in Britain. Numbers have declined from 35,000 in 1999 to 18,900 in 2016 due to a number of threats at their breeding grounds. People keen to support our drive to save this species can donate here.
Northern Ireland Notes:
Anser albifrons flavirostris Dalgety & P. Scott, 1948
Family: Anatidae
While it may graze with other geese on manicured pastures, this goose is also a bird of wild boglands and marshes, returning faithfully each year to favoured areas. It breeds on the coastal fringes of western Greenland and winters almost entirely in Ireland and Scotland. Its eastern counterpart, the European white-fronted goose, winters in England.
In brief...
Scarce wintering bird to traditional sites in the west of Northern Ireland
Prefers blanket bog with pools or agricultural grassland
It is a winter visitor found from late October to early April
The Greenland white-fronted goose is Amber listed in both Irish and UK Birds of Conservation Concern
Threats include habitat loss from drainage, inappropriate development and disturbance.
Species description:
The white-fronted goose is a medium-sized, grey-brown goose, which is slightly smaller than the more familiar greylag goose. It has bold black bars across its belly. Its name derives from the white forehead blaze above its beak. The Greenland race is distinctive in being rather dark and having an orange bill and legs. Young birds can be distinguished early in the winter by their reduced white forehead and lack of bars on the belly.
Life cycle
Greenland white-fronted geese breed entirely in the arctic coastal fringe of western Greenland, up to 700m above sea level. They nest amongst hummocks in the tundra, and the timing of egg laying is determined by the thaw of snow. The young geese are tended by both parents and remain as a family through the first autumn and winter. They migrate to Ireland together via south-west Iceland. During the winter months the geese form flocks which remain at traditional sites. These are often improved grasslands where protein-rich shoot tips are grazed. Some small flocks remain faithful to blanket bog feeding sites where they eat the tubers of bog cotton and sedges.
Similar species:
The greylag goose is much more numerous in Northern Ireland. It is a bigger, heavier bird with a larger orange bill and pink legs and lacks the white forehead and black bars on the belly. In flight the greylag has broad pale forewings which contrast with the rest of the plumage. The pink-footed goose is a scarce migrant with pink legs, a noticeably dark head and neck and small, stubby bill. The eastern race of white-fronted goose, which is rare in Ireland, differs in having a pinkish bill.
How to see this species:
There are only a few sites where they winter regularly. On Lough Foyle they can be found feeding on the fields around the southern part of the lough. These birds are not always present, and are more often at Lough Swilly which lies just to the west in Donegal. The other flocks can be difficult to track down, leading to many real wild goose chases! The small flock at Annaghroe on the River Blackwater (County Tyrone) can often be viewed from a public road. Occasionally, flocks or single birds are seen on migration at other sites such as Strangford Lough.
Current status:
The wintering population in Northern Ireland seems to have decreased since the 1960s when around 500 wintered. Several traditional sites have been lost to drainage, peat cutting and afforestation. In recent years, numbers at Lough Foyle have been very variable, with usually between 40-50 birds present. Over 1,000 winter nearby at Lough Swilly in County Donegal. Lower Lough Macnean in County Fermanagh supports the largest regular flock of about 100 birds, while there are smaller numbers on the Pettigo Plateau bogs (Fermanagh/Donegal) and at the River Blackwater (County Tyrone). The most important site in Ireland is the Wexford Slobs which supports a spectacular 10,000 geese each winter.
This is not a quarry species and is protected under the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985. It is also listed in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive as a species which must be the subject of special conservation measures.
Why is this species a priority in Northern Ireland?
The Greenland race is Amber listed in the UK and Irish Birds of Conservation Concern lists because both UK and Ireland support more than 20 per cent of the NW European population in winter.
Threats/Causes of decline
Some traditional sites in Northern Ireland have been lost because of drainage (Downpatrick Marshes) or the encroachment of forestry. Inappropriate siting of wind turbines could also threaten some flocks and the geese are also very vulnerable to human disturbance. The world population increased following a ban on hunting in their wintering grounds in 1982, although there is evidence of a recent decrease in numbers.
Conservation of this species:
Current action
Some sites visited by this species are designated as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (DARD) Countryside Management Scheme and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme include measures designed to protect and enhance habitats for wintering geese
Some key sites are surveyed each winter by a combination of conservation bodies and volunteer counters as part of the nationally co-ordinated Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS).
Proposed objectives/actions
The status of the Greenland white-fronted goose will continue to be monitored and appropriate conservation action undertaken if required.
What you can do
Volunteer as a Wetland Bird Survey counter by contacting EHS or RSPB
Report incidents of illegal shooting to PSNI or EHS
Report any sightings to Northern Ireland Birdwatchers’ Association Flightline. Tel: 028 9146 7408.