Peatland wildlife

Greenland white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)

Greenland white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)

Description

From late September and through the winter months, Ireland is home to almost 50% of the Greenland population of white-fronted geese. This is probably the most easily recognised of the grey geese with its white forehead "blaze", dark bands on the belly and white under the tail. The Greenland race has orange bills, legs and feet. Both sexes are alike but immature birds lack the barring and white forehead of the adults.

Behaviour

The white-fronted goose was once known as the "bog goose" because it was found feeding on white-beak sedge on upland blanket and lowland raised bogs. With the decline of peatlands the geese now feed on freshwater marshes and wet meadows during their stay in Ireland. White-fronted geese are nervous birds and will take flight at the slightest sign of danger. Like all geese, they fly in a "V" formation and are often quite noisy in flight. This species are extremely acrobatic in flight.

Breeding

As the name suggests, the Greenland white-fronted goose breeds in Greenland. The nest is a simple hollow usually on top of a tussock lined with vegetation and down. The female lays between four and six buff-coloured eggs between April and June, which take up to four weeks to hatch. The young birds fledge in five to six weeks and remain in their family groups over the winter.

Status

Local

In Northern Ireland the Wildlife Order states that it is an offence to kill, injure, capture or keep (alive or dead) any wild bird, including the Greenland white-fronted goose. It is also an offence to destroy, damage or take the nest of any wild bird or to sell or advertise for sale the eggs of any wild bird.

European

The Greenland white-fronted goose is listed in Annex I, and II of the Birds Directive, Appendix III of the Bern Convention and Appendix II of the Bonn Convention