Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchus
The Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) is a common ducks, swans, and geese found in 33 countries, weighing about 2.6 kg. The pink-footed goose is a goose which breeds in eastern Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, and recently Novaya Zemlya.
About the Pink-footed Goose
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, meaning "short", and rhunchos, meaning "bill".
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
It is a medium-sized goose, 60–75 cm (24–30 in) long, the wingspan 135–170 cm (53–67 in), and weighing 1.8–3.4 kg (4.0–7.5 lb). It has a short bill, bright pink in the middle with a black base and tip, similar in pattern to tundra bean goose but pink where that species is orange, and pink feet. The body is mid-grey-brown, the head and neck a richer, darker brown, the rump and vent white, and the tail grey with a broad white tip. The upper wing-coverts are of a somewhat similar pale bluish-grey as in the greylag goose, and the flight feathers blackish-grey.
What the Pink-footed Goose sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in St. Pierre & Miquelon.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in April. It is a passage migrant species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Pink-footed Goose?
- It is a medium-sized goose, 60–75 cm (24–30 in) long, the wingspan 135–170 cm (53–67 in), and weighing 1.8–3.4 kg (4.0–7.5 lb). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Pink-footed Goose?
- The Pink-footed Goose is a huge sized bird weighing about 2.6 kg.
- Where can you see a Pink-footed Goose?
- The Pink-footed Goose occurs in 33 countries, including Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States and Belgium.
- What does a Pink-footed Goose sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Pink-footed Goose on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Pink-footed Goose?
- The Pink-footed Goose is most easily confused with the Ross's Goose, the Tundra Bean Goose and the Taiga Bean Goose.
- Is the Pink-footed Goose endangered?
- The Pink-footed Goose is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Pink-footed Goose for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.