Greater white-fronted goose

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Greater white-fronted goose
Greater white-fronted goose in flight-1045.jpg
A greater white-fronted goose during migration in the Central Valley of California
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anser
Species:
A. albifrons
Binomial name
Anser albifrons
(Scopoli, 1769)
Subspecies
  • A. a. albifrons
    European white-fronted goose (Scopoli, 1769)
  • A. a. frontalis
    Pacific white-fronted goose (Baird, 1858)
  • A. a. gambeli
    Gambel's white-fronted goose (Hartlaub, 1852)
  • A. a. elgasi
    Tule goose (Delacour & Ripley, 1975) (disputed)
  • A. a. flavirostris
    Greenland white-fronted goose (Dalgety & (Scott, 1948)
Anser albifrons map.png
Distribution map of subspecies of greater white-fronted goose
Synonyms

Branta albifronsScopoli, 1769

Greater white-fronted goose in California Greater white-fronted goose (cropped).jpg
Greater white-fronted goose in California
Greater white-fronted geese, Texel, Netherlands (2013)
A. a. flavirostris, the Greenland subspecies Greater white-fronted goose in Central Park (95536) (cropped).jpg
A. a. flavirostris, the Greenland subspecies

The greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) is a species of goose that is closely related to the smaller lesser white-fronted goose (A. erythropus). The greater white-fronted goose is migratory, breeding in northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland and Russia, and winters farther south in North America, Europe and Asia. [1] It is named for the patch of white feathers bordering the base of its bill: albifrons comes from the Latin albus "white" and frons "forehead". [2] In the United Kingdom and Ireland, it has been known as the white-fronted goose; in North America it is known as the greater white-fronted goose (or "greater whitefront"), and this name is also increasingly adopted internationally. [1] Even more distinctive are the salt-and-pepper markings on the breast of adult birds, which is why the goose is colloquially called the "specklebelly" in North America.

Contents

Description

Greater white-fronted geese are 64–81 cm (25–32 in) in length, have a 130–165 cm (51–65 in) wingspan, and weigh 1.93–3.31 kg (4 lb 4 oz – 7 lb 5 oz). [3] [4] They have bright orange legs and mouse-coloured upper wing-coverts. They are smaller than greylag geese. As well as being larger than the lesser white-fronted goose, the greater white-fronted goose lacks the yellow eye-ring of that species, and the white facial blaze does not extend upwards so far as in the lesser. [5]

The male is typical larger in size, both sexes are similar in appearance—greyish brown birds with light grey breasts dappled with dark brown to black blotches and bars. Both males and females also have a pinkish bill and orange legs and feet. [6]

Greater white-fronted geese make a variation of sounds, but notably the most recognizable is the high pitched cackle that can be imitated by the sounds "he-he." There is a distinct breaking of the note from the first cackle to the second.

Differences between European and Greenland birds

The appearance of European or Russian white-fronted geese, of the subspecies albifrons and Greenland white-fronted geese, of the subspecies flavirostris (which winters in the British Isles and occasionally reaches the northwest European mainland), differ in a number of ways. The Greenland white-fronted goose, in all plumages, looks darker and more "oily-looking" than the European and Asian white-fronted goose, both at rest and in flight. [7]

The following are the differences which apply to first-winter plumage: [7] [8]

The belly-barring on adult birds is on average more extensive on flavirostris than on albifrons, but the individual variation in both forms renders this of limited use as an identification feature. [7]

The bill of adult Greenland white-fronts are also orange-yellow at the base, but can be more pinkish-yellow on the outer-half, thus close in colour to European white-fronts; the colour difference is more easily determined in dull, flat light rather than bright sunshine. [7]

The Greenland white-fronts are of conservation concern. While most populations of the species have been increasing, the Greenland population continuously declined in the first two decades of the 2000s (after having continuously increased in the two preceding decades). The reason for this decline is not entirely clear, but likely related to more extreme weather conditions. [9]

Anser albifrons – Greater White-fronted Goose – XC96532

Taxonomy

The greater white-fronted goose is divided into five subspecies. The nominate subspecies, the European white-fronted goose (A. a. albifrons) breeds in the far north of Russia and winters further south and west in Europe and Asia.

Three other restricted-range subspecies occur in northern North America: Gambel's white-fronted goose (A. a. gambeli) in interior northwestern Canada and wintering on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, slightly larger than the nominate form, the Pacific white-fronted goose (A. a. frontalis) and the tule goose (A. a. elgasi) in southwest Alaska, largest and longest-billed of all, both wintering in California. All these subspecies are similar in plumage, differing only in size. [10]

The very distinct Greenland white-fronted goose (A. a. flavirostris) breeding in western Greenland, is much darker overall, with only a very narrow white tip to the tail (broader on the other subspecies), more black barring on its belly and usually has an orange (not pink) bill. It winters in Ireland and western Scotland.

Birds breeding in the far east of Siberia east to Arctic Canada, wintering in the United States and Japan, have been described as A. a. frontalis on the basis of their slightly larger size and a marginally longer bill. Another putative East Asian subspecies (A. a. albicans) has also been described. A 2012 study has found that frontalis and albicans do not merit subspecies status, the former being synonymised with gambeli and the latter with the nominate subspecies; this study found that these forms had been named on the wintering grounds from specimens whose breeding grounds were unknown. [11]

Ecological studies conducted in 2002 suggest the Greenland birds should probably be considered a separate species from A. albifrons. [12] Of particular interest is its unusually long period of parental care and association, which may last several years and can include grandparenting, possibly unique among the Anseriformes.

Distribution

Egg, Collection Museum Wiesbaden Anser albifrons MWNH 0945.JPG
Egg, Collection Museum Wiesbaden

The North American midcontinent birds of the subspecies A. a. gambeli – which in 2010 had a fall population of about 710,000 birds – breeds from the Alaska North Slope across the western and central Canadian Arctic.[ citation needed ] The Pacific white-fronted goose of the American Pacific coast, which in 2010 numbered approximately 650,000 birds,[ citation needed ] and the tule geese, which are estimated to number 10,000 birds, nest in western Alaska. The midcontinent geese gather in early fall on the prairies of western Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta, spending several weeks feeding before heading to wintering areas near the Gulf of Mexico, into northern Mexico. [6] The Pacific birds migrate south down the Pacific coast, staging primarily in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California and wintering, eventually, in California's Central Valley. [6] The tule goose is somewhat rare and has been since the latter half of the 19th century, [13] presumably it was affected by destruction of its wintering habitat due to human settlement. [10]

In the British Isles, two subspecies overwinter: Greenland birds in Scotland and Ireland, and Russian birds in England and Wales. They gather on farmland at favoured traditional sites, with a famous flock gathering at WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England. [14] Greenland birds also overwinter in Ireland and from late September and through the winter months, Ireland is home to almost 50% of the Greenland population of white-fronted geese. [15]

A. a. albifrons and A. a. flavirostis are among the taxa to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Behaviour and ecology

Weather conditions are a key factor in the annual breeding success of white-fronted geese. In the Arctic, the window of opportunity for nesting, incubating eggs, and raising a brood to flight state is open briefly, for about three months. Arriving in late May or early June, white-fronted geese begin departing for fall staging areas in early September. This means that a delayed snowmelt or late spring storm can significantly reduce the birds' reproductive success. [6]

Origin of migration

Midcontinental white-fronted geese in North America have many breeding areas and each group in each breeding area differs in its migration time and wintering location. There are six breeding areas, including interior Alaska, the North Slope of Alaska, western Northwest Territories, western Nunavut, central Nunavut, and eastern Nunavut. These spatial differences lead to different departure times for white-fronted geese leaving their breeding areas. Birds from interior Alaska start migrating earlier during autumn and fly farther south to winter. [16] Due to their migration, white-fronted geese are commonly sought after by waterfowl hunters, all across the country.

Backtracking technique

A technique to identify the migratory flight path of individual birds using isotopes has been developed. [17] The different types of feathers growing on a single migratory bird can be a way to backtrack the migratory route of individual birds infected by avian flu to help locate areas that may become infected. This allows the affected area to be measured and marked. Bird feather growth can be used as timeline for nutritional intake during the migratory flight understand the route which the infected bird took and determine the region affected by that particular bird flu. During migratory flight, feathers on white-fronted geese gradually fall off during migration as new feathers grow (a process called moulting). Each location visited by a bird has its own distinct isotopic signature of elements (including carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur) that can be taken up by migratory birds ingesting food from that area. These isotopes can be studied by collecting feathers and performing thermal combustion analysis. Because different types of feathers have different growth rates, the growth rates can be used to determine the relative time during which each isotope signal was picked up. Each isotope signal in turn can be compared to the signatures present in the different environments where the goose may have fed.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goose</span> Common name for a group of waterfowl

A goose is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera Anser and Branta. Some other birds, mostly related to the shelducks, have "goose" as part of their names. More distantly related members of the family Anatidae are swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greylag goose</span> Species of bird

The greylag goose or graylag goose is a species of large goose in the waterfowl family Anatidae and the type species of the genus Anser. It has mottled and barred grey and white plumage and an orange beak and pink legs. A large bird, it measures between 74 and 91 centimetres in length, with an average weight of 3.3 kilograms. Its distribution is widespread, with birds from the north of its range in Europe and Asia often migrating southwards to spend the winter in warmer places, although many population are resident, even in the north. It is the ancestor of most breeds of domestic goose, having been domesticated at least as early as 1360 BCE. The genus name is from anser, the Latin for "goose".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taiga bean goose</span> Species of bird

The taiga bean goose is a goose that breeds in northern Europe and Asia. It is migratory and winters further south in Europe and Asia. This and the tundra bean goose are recognised as separate species by the American Ornithological Society and the International Ornithologists' Union, but are considered a single species by other authorities. The taiga and tundra bean goose diverged about 2.5 million years ago and established secondary contact c. 60,000 years ago, resulting in extensive gene flow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink-footed goose</span> Species of bird

The pink-footed goose is a goose which breeds in eastern Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, and recently Novaya Zemlya. It is migratory, wintering in northwest Europe, especially Ireland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and western Denmark. The name is often abbreviated in colloquial usage to "pinkfoot". Anser is the Latin for "goose", and brachyrhynchus comes from the ancient Greek brachus "short" and rhunchos "bill".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser white-fronted goose</span> Species of bird

The lesser white-fronted goose is a goose closely related to the larger white-fronted goose. It breeds in the northernmost Palearctic, but it is a scarce breeder in Europe, with a reintroduction attempt in Fennoscandia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snow goose</span> Species of bird

The snow goose is a species of goose native to North America. Both white and dark morphs exist, the latter often known as blue goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The species was previously placed in the genus Chen, but is now typically included in the "gray goose" genus Anser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada goose</span> Species of goose native to the Northern Hemisphere

The Canada goose, sometimes called Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is occasionally found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe. It has been introduced to France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands. Like most geese, the Canada goose is primarily herbivorous and normally migratory; often found on or close to fresh water, the Canada goose is also common in brackish marshes, estuaries, and lagoons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emperor goose</span> Species of bird

The emperor goose, also known as the beach goose or the painted goose, is a waterfowl species in the family Anatidae, which contains the ducks, geese, and swans. In summer, the emperor goose is found in remote coastal areas near the Bering Sea in arctic and sub-arctic Alaska and the Russian Far East, where it breeds in monogamous pairs. It migrates south to winter in ice-free mudflats and coasts in Alaska, mostly the Aleutian Islands, and Canada's British Columbia, rarely reaching the contiguous United States. Listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the species' population is declining due to threats such as pollution, hunting, and climate change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruddy shelduck</span> Species of bird

The ruddy shelduck, known in India as the Brahminy duck, is a member of the family Anatidae. It is a distinctive waterfowl, 58 to 70 cm in length with a wingspan of 110 to 135 cm. It has orange-brown body plumage with a paler head, while the tail and the flight feathers in the wings are black, contrasting with the white wing-coverts. It is a migratory bird, wintering in the Indian subcontinent and breeding in southeastern Europe and central Asia, though there are small resident populations in North Africa. It has a loud honking call.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swan goose</span> Species of bird

The swan goose is a large goose with a natural breeding range in inland Mongolia, Northeast China, and the Russian Far East. It is migratory and winters mainly in central and eastern China. Vagrant birds are encountered in Japan and Korea, and more rarely in Kazakhstan, Laos, coastal Siberia, Taiwan, Thailand and Uzbekistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross's goose</span> Species of bird

Ross's goose is a white goose with black wingtips and a relatively short neck. It is the smallest of the three white geese that breed in North America. It is similar in appearance to a white-phase snow goose, but about 40% smaller. Other differences from the snow goose are that the bill is smaller in proportion to its body and lacks "black lips". The dark phase is extremely rare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brant (goose)</span> Species of bird

The brant or brent goose is a small goose of the genus Branta. There are three subspecies, all of which winter along temperate-zone sea-coasts and breed on the high-Arctic tundra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domestic goose</span> Common name for a bird

A domestic goose is a goose that humans have domesticated and kept for their meat, eggs, or down feathers. Domestic geese have been derived through selective breeding from the wild greylag goose and swan goose.

<i>Anser</i> (bird) Genus of birds

Anser is a waterfowl genus that includes the grey geese and the white geese. It belongs to the true goose and swan subfamily of Anserinae under the family of Anatidae. The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with at least one species breeding in any open, wet habitats in the subarctic and cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in summer. Some also breed farther south, reaching into warm temperate regions. They mostly migrate south in winter, typically to regions in the temperate zone between the January 0 °C (32 °F) and 5 °C (41 °F) isotherms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African pygmy goose</span> Species of bird

The African pygmy goose is a perching duck from sub-Saharan Africa. It is the smallest of Africa's waterfowl, and one of the smallest in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleutian cackling goose</span> Subspecies of bird

The Aleutian cackling goose is a small subspecies of the cackling goose averaging 1.7 to 2.1 kg in weight. It was one of 122 species of animals, birds, and fishes first documented for science by the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tundra bean goose</span> Species of bird

The tundra bean goose is a goose that breeds in northern Siberia. This and the taiga bean goose are recognised as separate species by the American Ornithological Society and International Ornithologists' Union, but are considered a single species by other authorities. It is migratory and winters further south in Asia. The taiga and tundra bean goose diverged about 2.5 million years ago and established secondary contact ca. 60,000 years ago, resulting in extensive gene flow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bean goose</span> Species of bird

The bean goose is a goose that breeds in northern Europe and Eurosiberia. It has two distinct varieties, one inhabiting taiga habitats and one inhabiting tundra. These are recognised as separate species by the American Ornithologists' Union and the IOC, but are considered a single species by other authorities, such as the British Ornithologists' Union. It is migratory and winters further south in Europe and Asia.

The dusky Canada goose is a subspecies of the Canada goose. They are the darkest variant, similar to the Pacific cackling goose. Tagged dusky geese have red bands with white letters on them attached to their neck. They represent one of the smallest populations of Canada goose in the Pacific Northwest. Due to the species minimal population and exclusive breeding grounds, the dusky Canada goose is a species of interest to the Pacific Flyway Council and the U.S. Forest Service. The Cordova Ranger District, on the Chugach National Forest, has been working since 1984 to implement a monitoring and restoration program for the geese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mongan Bog</span> Peat bog in County Offaly, Ireland

Mongan Bog is a peat bog in County Offaly, Ireland. The bog is located east of Clonmacnoise, a monastic site on the river Shannon. A nature reserve covering about 120 ha protects part of the bog.

References

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  2. Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  38, 48. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  3. "Greater White-fronted Goose". All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
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  8. "Birds and Wildlife-always discovering: Differences between Greenland and Russian birds". 11 July 2021.
  9. Weegman, Mitch D.; Walsh, Alyn J.; Ogilvie, Malcolm A.; Bearhop, Stuart; Hilton, Geoff M.; Hodgson, David J.; Fox, Anthony David (April 2022). "Adult survival and per‐capita production of young explain dynamics of a long‐lived goose population". Ibis. 164 (2): 574–580. doi:10.1111/ibi.13013. ISSN   0019-1019.
  10. 1 2 Carboneras, Carles (1992). "Family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans)". In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi (eds.). 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Handbook of Birds of the World. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp.  536–629, plates 40–50. ISBN   84-87334-10-5.
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  12. Fox, A.D.; Stroud, D.A. (2002). "Greenland White-fronted Goose". Birds of the Western Palearctic Update. 4 (2): 65–88.
  13. Littlejohn, Chase (1916). "Some unusual records for San Mateo County, California. Minutes of Cooper Club Meetings". Condor . 18 (1): 38–40. doi:10.2307/1362896. JSTOR   1362896.
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  15. "Peatlands". Peatlandsni.gov.uk. 12 January 2011. Archived from the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  16. Ely, Craig R.; Nieman, Daniel J.; Alisauskas, Ray T.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Hines, James E. (2013). "Geographic variation in migration chronology and winter distribution of midcontinent greater white-fronted geese". The Journal of Wildlife Management. 77 (6): 1182–1191. doi:10.1002/jwmg.573.
  17. Horacek, Micha (2011). "Backtracking the movements of a migratory bird: a case study of a white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)". Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 25 (20): 3146–3150. Bibcode:2011RCMS...25.3146H. doi:10.1002/rcm.5209. PMID   21953970.