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White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons [Scopoli, 1769]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Anseriformes
Family:
Anatidae
BTO Codes:
WG , WHFGO
EURING No:
1590
Number in Britain:
27 thousand birds (Winter)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
albifrons , flavirostris recorded in Britain (of 5 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
72 cm
Wingspan:
148 cm
Weight:
M/F: 2.5 kg
Scientific name from:
L.: anser =a goose
and L.: albus =white + frons =brow
World Distribution:
BREEDS: n Russia, n North America & w Greenland, WINTERS: s Europe & India & c Mexico
Habitat:
Tundra lakes, wet meadows on migration flooded fields & estuaries
Diet:
Plant material, incl. roots, tubers, shoots, leaves
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Winter:
27 thousand individuals
in 1994-99
First Record:
12th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Wolstonian (penultimate) glaciation, c. 150,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
1700 to 2 thousand pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(II), WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(I, II), AEWA
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
79 x 53 mm
Egg Weight:
125.0 g (of which 10 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
0
Clutch Size:
5 - 6 eggs
Incubation:
27 - 28 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
40 - 43 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Does not breed in Britain, or too few Nest Records
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
68
Adult Survival:
0.724
Juvenile Survival:
0.596 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding:
3
years
Typical Lifespan:
6
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
18yr9m
(The Netherlands: 25yr 3m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
K
Wing Length
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Greater White-fronted Goose
Gaelic:
Gèadh-bhlàr
Welsh:
Gwydd Dalcen-wen
Danish:
Blisgås
Dutch:
Kolgans
Finnish:
Tundrahanhi
French:
Oie rieuse
German:
Bläßgans
Hungarian:
Nagy lilik
Icelandic:
Blesgæs
Irish:
Gé Bhánéadanach
Italian:
Oca lombardella
Norwegian:
Tundragås
Polish:
Ges bialoczelna
Portuguese:
Ganso-grande-de-testa-branca
Spanish:
Ansar careto grande
Swedish:
Bläsgås
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Fox, A.D. & Stroud, D.A. 2002 BWP Update 4:65-88
Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press
[598.48 KEA]
See Also:
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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