adult

adult flying European distribution at rest

Identification

It wouldn't be sensible to identify a Pink-footed Goose by its pink feet since Greylags also have pink legs and juvenile Pink-feet have dull orange legs. Instead you should notice that it has a relatively short neck, small head and stubby bill with pink and black markings. The head and neck are so dark they look almost black from a distance, contrasting with a pale chest which looks pinkish-buff - a pink chested goose perhaps. In flight they show a pale grey forewing which eliminates all grey geese except Greylags but the dark head and neck then confirms the identification.

Habitat

Winters on freshwater and salt marshes; also stubble and crop fields.

Migration

Birds from Svalbard migrate via the Norwegian coast to Denmark and North Sea coasts. Greenland and Icelandic populations have their main wintering grounds in Britain and Ireland (mainly Scotland).

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Pink-footed Goose is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Loch Fleet, Highland 06/08/2010	Par Beach pool, Cornwall 26/05/2010	Par Beach pool, Cornwall 26/05/2010	Wooler, Northumbs 21/04/2010	Rutland Wtr, Leics 17/04/2010
Tophill Low, E Yorks 03/04/2010	Tophill Low, E Yorks 03/04/2010	Wigtown, Dumf & Gall 03/04/2010	Tophill Low, E Yorks 03/04/2010	Kirkbride, Cumbria 11/03/2010

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Pink-footed Goose breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Greenland
Iceland
Svalbard

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	Winter Geese: Part 1 - The 'grey geese' (Full Text)	Tuesday 10th February 2004
	The 'grey geese' can provide some headaches when it comes to identifying them to race or species. Find out more about where these birds come from and what they look like – Tundra or Taiga, Eurasian or Greenland?

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