Greylag goose
The Greylag goose (Anser anser) is a large bird native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, renowned as the wild ancestor of domesticated geese. These geese are powerful fliers with wingspans ranging from 58 to 71 inches and are known for their distinctive migration patterns, flying in v-shaped formations called skeins. They breed in fields and grasslands near water in regions such as central Asia, eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, migrating south for the winter to coastal areas. Greylag geese exhibit gray plumage with white underparts, pink beaks, and legs, and typically measure between 29 and 36 inches in length, weighing between five and 10 pounds.
Their diet consists of grass, flowers, seeds, and fruits, as well as agricultural crops, and they have adapted to consume small fish and invertebrates. Greylag geese are social birds, roosting in flocks at night, and they form lifelong mating pairs during the spring. The female incubates four to six eggs for about 28 days, with goslings hatching in summer and remaining with their families through migration. While they face predation from larger birds and foxes, Greylag geese are not considered a threatened species and have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Greylag goose
Greylag geese are the wild ancestors of domesticated geese, or those geese which people tame or raise. These domestic geese may make excellent "watchdogs" because they are constantly alert and make a lot of noise if disturbed. Greylag geese are powerful fliers and they migrate great distances in v-shaped lines called skeins.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anser
Species: Anser
The greylag goose flies on powerful wings, which span 58 to 71 inches (147 to 180 centimeters), across Europe, Africa, and Asia. In the fall they leave their spring and summer grounds in central Asia, eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, where they have bred in fields and grasslands near water. Making their way south, they land along the southern and western coasts of Europe. In characteristic goose fashion, they fly in long, v-shaped lines called skeins with one bird leading the two lines behind it. The bird flying at the front of the skein breaks the wind for the others so they can fly more easily. The birds switch positions in the skein while in flight when the leader becomes tired. In winter grounds the geese live in grasslands and fields near rivers and estuaries.
Greylag geese have gray plumage on the upper parts of their bodies and white underneath. They have pink beaks, legs, and feet. Adult geese are between 29 and 36 inches (73 2/3 and 91 1/2 centimeters) long and weigh between five and 10 pounds (two to 4 1/2 kilograms).
In their habitats near water the geese eat grass, flowers, seeds, and fruit, as well as the crops of farmers. The sharp, serrated, or jagged, edges of their bills are designed for tearing and snipping the tough fibers of the plants. These geese eat a lot to get all the vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. They may also eat small fish, insects, invertebrates, and crustaceans. They may spend most of the day eating. At night they roost in flocks.
Once a goose reaches two years of age, it is able to mate for the first time. Greylag geese which are mating for the first time form pairs in spring, when other pairs of geese also are mating. This usually occurs in April or May. The birds in a pair may not stay together throughout the entire year, but they do mate only with each other throughout their entire lives. The female and male both build the nest near the water and rushes or heather. While the male guards her, the female incubates her four to six cream-white eggs for 28 days. The young, called goslings, hatch in summer and leave the nest within a few hours of hatching. Two months after hatching, the goslings develop their plumage for flying. The family stays together through the fall migration and the winter months until spring.
Larger birds and foxes may prey upon the greylag goose, but especially its eggs. The greylag goose has a life span of between 20 and 30 years. It is not a threatened species.
Bibliography
“Greylag Goose Facts - Anser Anser.” Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/greylag-goose. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.
Hesse, Volker. “Graylag Goose Overview.” All About Birds, 2024, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Graylag‗Goose/overview. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.