Anser brachyrhynchus
Scientific name:
Anser brachyrhynchus
Family:
Ducks, geese and swansConservation status:
Amber
Length:
60cm to 76cm
Wingspan:
135cm to 160cm
Weight:
2.2kg to 2.7kg
The pink-footed goose is a medium-sized member of the goose family. They are slightly larger than mallards but slightly smaller than a mute swan. They have dark necks and heads and bodies are pinkish-grey. Legs and bills are both pink.
Large numbers of these birds spend the winter here in the UK, but don't actually breed here at all. The birds that come over for the winter are from Greenland, Iceland and Spitsbergen. Due to better protection of winter roosts, numbers of these birds are on the increase in the UK - particularly in Norfolk.
Their diets consist of potatoes, grass, winter cereal and grain.
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