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Red-breasted Goose
(Branta ruficollis)
 German name(s): "Rothalsgans"
Size: 53-59 cm; wing span 1.0-1.25 m
Weight: 1.2-1.6 kg (male); 1.0-1.1 kg (female)
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Red-breasted Geese are small geese. The two sexes look alike.
Although closely related to other species of the genus
Branta, their
outward appearance is entirely different.
Except for deep chestnut-red patches around the ear coverts
and down the front from throat to chest, they are all black
and white. They have white loral spots and narrow white
margin around the ear patches; the rest of the head and
hindneck is black. There is a narrow white ring around the
body from lower chest to base of the neck. The back and
the wing coverts, apart from two prominent white wing bars,
are black. The flanks have a broad white curved bar above
broad black sides, ending in a black-and-white bar pattern
behind the legs. The rump, leg feathers and belly/vent and
undertail coverts are white.
The irises are dark. The very small, triangular bill and
the legs and feet are dark-grey.
Juveniles have several indistinct wing bars and their back
and wing coverts are sooty, rather than black.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Red-breasted
Goose at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Red-breasted Goose is available
HERE
.
Red-breasted Geese are a migratory species.
Their range encompasses parts of Iceland, Europe, Asia Minor,
and north-western Asia (Russia), beyond the Ural mountains.
In Europe, apart from a few sites in Ireland and southern
Scandinavia, Red-breasted Geese can be found primarily
around the North Sea coastline, from England and Scotland
to the continental coast from Denmark to Bretagne. They
are also present in some locations in inland France and
Iberia and along waterways in continental Europe, ranging
from the North Sea to the Black Sea, and from the Po delta,
the Balkans and parts of Greece
to southern Finland and far-western Russia. They are NOT
found in northern Scandinavia, the Kola peninsula or beyond.
Red-breasted Geese breed in Arctic tundra, usually near
water. Most overwinter along waterways and the Black Sea
coastline of south-eastern Europe. A smaller number finds
its way to waterways and other, mostly fresh water, habitats
such as urban parks, in central to western Europe.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
M. Eaton reports spotting Red-breasted Geese at St. James's
Park, London, England, in September 2019.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by M. Eaton.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Full-frontal view of a Red-breasted Goose, with a clear
view of its name-giving breast
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]
Near-frontal view of Red-breasted Geese, front, with
Barnacle Geese
behind
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]
Near-lateral view of a Red-breasted Goose
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Red-breasted Goose
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
