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Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis [Bechstein, 1803]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Anseriformes
Family:
Anatidae
BTO Codes:
BY , BARGO
EURING No:
1670
Number in Britain:
67 thousand birds (Winter)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
View video clips from
IBC
Status in UK:
(AC2) Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
Monotypic
.
Length:
64 cm
Wingspan:
138 cm
Weight:
M/F: 1.7 kg
Scientific name from:
ON: brandgas =burnt goose
and Gr.: leukos + opsis =face
World Distribution:
BREEDS: e Greenland, Spitsbergen, nc Russia WINTERS: south to s Europe
Habitat:
Marsh, rivers, on migration also estuaries
Diet:
Mostly shoots and leaves
TitBit:
This goose was once thought to start life as Goose Barnacles growing on driftwood, perhaps because none had ever seen its nest (unsurprisingly, since it breeds in the Arctic)
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Winter:
67 thousand individuals
in 1994-99
First Record:
8th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
18 to 21 thousand pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
77 x 50 mm
Egg Weight:
107.0 g (of which 10 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
6
Clutch Size:
4 - 5 eggs
Incubation:
24 - 25 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
40 - 45 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Does not breed in Britain, or too few Nest Records
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
217
Adult Survival:
0.9
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
3
years
Typical Lifespan:
12
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
26yr11m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
J
Wing Length
Adult:
411.2 ± 18.7
Range
385 - 438 mm, N =402
Juvenile:
396.8 ± 14.7
375 - 420 mm, N =23
Male:
421.1 ± 14.0
395 - 443 mm, N =215
Female:
399.9 ± 17.1
380 - 425 mm, N =184
Weight
Adult:
1.83 ± 0.19
Range
1.53 - 2.15 kg , N =408
Juvenile:
1.70 ± 0.18
1.40 - 1.95 kg , N =24
Male:
1.93 ± 0.17
1.64 - 2.20 kg , N =222
Female:
1.72 ± 0.16 .
1.48 - 1.98 kg , N =184
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Gaelic:
Cathan
Welsh:
Gwydd Wyran
Danish:
Bramgås
Dutch:
Brandgans
Finnish:
Valkoposkihanhi
French:
Bernache nonnette
German:
Nonnengans
Hungarian:
Apácalúd
Icelandic:
Helsingi
Irish:
Gé Ghiúrainn
Italian:
Oca facciabianca
Norwegian:
Hvitkinngås
Polish:
Bernikla bialolica
Portuguese:
Ganso-de-faces-brancas
Spanish:
Barnacla cariblanca
Swedish:
Vitkindad gås
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Hillcoat, B. et al. 1997 BWP Update 1:175-182
Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press
[598.48 KEA]
See Also:
BirdFacts home | BTO Home birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as:
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