Pink-footed Goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

A charming winter visitor that brings high-pitched honking sounds of the Arctic to wetlands across Europe.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Pink-footed Goose is characterised by its greyish-brown plumage, short pink bill with a black tip, and distinctive pink legs. Its head and neck are darker brown, contrasting with a paler breast and belly.

Males and females are alike in appearance, although females are often noticeably smaller. As their name suggests, their feet are pink, and they have a short, stubby bill, which is primarily black but features a small pink patch across the centre.

Adults and juveniles share similar plumage, with young birds showing slightly duller colouration. There is no significant seasonal variation in their appearance.

Size

Length

60cm to 75cm

Wingspan

135cm to 170cm

Weight

1.8kg to 3.3kg

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour

Pink

Beak Colour

Pink Black

Leg Colour

Pink

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Pink-footed Goose is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Pink-footed Goose is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Pink-footed Goose can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Pink-footed Goose can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Pink-footed Goose is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Pink-footed Goose can be found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Pink-footed Goose is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Pink-footed Goose is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Pink-footed Goose can be found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Pink-footed Goose is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Pink-footed Goose is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Pink-footed Goose is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Pink-footed Geese breed in eastern Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard. They winter in northwestern Europe, with significant populations in the UK, Netherlands, and Denmark. These geese prefer coastal marshes, estuaries, and nearby agricultural fields.

In the UK, they are common winter visitors to eastern Scotland, Lancashire, and Norfolk, arriving in September and departing in April for their Arctic breeding grounds.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 1,500 meters

Climate zones

Subarctic, Temperate

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Pink-footed Goose. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons