Barnacle Goose
The barnacle goose is a delicate looking bird with a rounded head and short bill
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WEIGHT
HABITATS
The adult barnacle goose has a grey and black neatly barred back, and white belly. The tail is black as is the breast and neck. On the head, the face is white, the crown is black, and the eyes are dark brown with a black eye patch. The legs and feet are black.
The female is similar to the male but slightly smaller.
Juvenile barnacle geese are duller than adults. The back has a brown tinge, the neck is grey, and the face has grey streaks. They reach maturity when they are 2 years old.
The barnacle goose is mainly a winter visitor, arriving from Greenland and Svalbard. Look out for it in Scotland and northern England in estuaries, coastal meadows, salt marshes, lakes.
A small feral population has established itself and can be seen in breeding season nesting in gravel pits and on lakes and ponds in parks.
SPOTTING TIPS
The barnacle goose somewhat resembles the Canada goose but has a lack of brown on its back and shows more white on its face.
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