Barnacle Goose
The Barnacle Goose belongs to the Branta genus of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the Anser genus of grey geese.
The Barnacle Goose and the similar Brent Goose were previously considered a single species and formerly believed to be essentially the same creature as the goose barnacle, a filter-feeding crustacean that lives attached to hard surfaces of rocks and flotsam in the ocean intertidal zone. This gave rise to the English name of the Barnacle Goose and the scientific name of the Brent Goose. The barnacle myth can be dated back to at least the 12th century. Gerald of Wales claimed to have seen these birds hanging down from pieces of timber, William Turner accepted the theory and John Gerard claimed to have seen the birds emerging from their shells. The legend persisted until the end of the 18th century.
The Barnacle Goose is a medium-sized goose, 22 to 28 inches long with a wingspan of 51 to 57 inches. It has a white face and black head, neck and upper breast. The belly is white. The wings and its back are silver-grey with black and white bars that look like they are shining when the light reflects on them. During flight a V-shaped white rump patch and the silver-grey underwings are visible.
The Barnacle goose breeds mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic. There are 3 main populations, with separate breeding and wintering ranges, from west to east: birds breeding in eastern Greenland and wintering on the Hebrides of western Scotland (especially Islay) and in western Ireland (population about 40000), birds breeding on Svalbard and wintering on the Solway Firth on the England/Scotland border (population about 24000) and birds breeding on Novaya Zemlya and wintering in the Netherlands (population about 130000)
A new population, derived from the Novaya Zemlya population, has become established since 1975 breeding on the islands and coasts of the Baltic Sea (Estonia, Finland, Denmark and Sweden) and wintering in the Netherlands (population about 8000).
Small numbers of feral birds, derived from escapes from zoo collections, also breed in other north European countries. Occasionally, a wild bird will appear in north east USA or Canada but care must be taken to separate out wild birds from escaped individuals since the Barnacle Goose is popular waterfowl with collectors.
Barnacle Geese frequently build their nests high on mountain cliffs away from predators (primarily the Arctic Fox and Polar Bear) but also away from food. Like all geese, the goslings are not fed by the adults and instead of bringing food to the newly hatched goslings, the goslings are brought to the ground. Unable to fly, the 3 day goslings jump off the cliff and fall. Their small size, feathery down and very light weight helps to protect some of them from serious injury when they hit the rocks below but many die from the impact. In addition, Arctic Foxes capture many dead or injured goslings.
The Barnacle Goose is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
Date: 4th November 2017
Location: Loch Gruinart RSPB reserve, Islay, Argyll
The Barnacle Goose and the similar Brent Goose were previously considered a single species and formerly believed to be essentially the same creature as the goose barnacle, a filter-feeding crustacean that lives attached to hard surfaces of rocks and flotsam in the ocean intertidal zone. This gave rise to the English name of the Barnacle Goose and the scientific name of the Brent Goose. The barnacle myth can be dated back to at least the 12th century. Gerald of Wales claimed to have seen these birds hanging down from pieces of timber, William Turner accepted the theory and John Gerard claimed to have seen the birds emerging from their shells. The legend persisted until the end of the 18th century.
The Barnacle Goose is a medium-sized goose, 22 to 28 inches long with a wingspan of 51 to 57 inches. It has a white face and black head, neck and upper breast. The belly is white. The wings and its back are silver-grey with black and white bars that look like they are shining when the light reflects on them. During flight a V-shaped white rump patch and the silver-grey underwings are visible.
The Barnacle goose breeds mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic. There are 3 main populations, with separate breeding and wintering ranges, from west to east: birds breeding in eastern Greenland and wintering on the Hebrides of western Scotland (especially Islay) and in western Ireland (population about 40000), birds breeding on Svalbard and wintering on the Solway Firth on the England/Scotland border (population about 24000) and birds breeding on Novaya Zemlya and wintering in the Netherlands (population about 130000)
A new population, derived from the Novaya Zemlya population, has become established since 1975 breeding on the islands and coasts of the Baltic Sea (Estonia, Finland, Denmark and Sweden) and wintering in the Netherlands (population about 8000).
Small numbers of feral birds, derived from escapes from zoo collections, also breed in other north European countries. Occasionally, a wild bird will appear in north east USA or Canada but care must be taken to separate out wild birds from escaped individuals since the Barnacle Goose is popular waterfowl with collectors.
Barnacle Geese frequently build their nests high on mountain cliffs away from predators (primarily the Arctic Fox and Polar Bear) but also away from food. Like all geese, the goslings are not fed by the adults and instead of bringing food to the newly hatched goslings, the goslings are brought to the ground. Unable to fly, the 3 day goslings jump off the cliff and fall. Their small size, feathery down and very light weight helps to protect some of them from serious injury when they hit the rocks below but many die from the impact. In addition, Arctic Foxes capture many dead or injured goslings.
The Barnacle Goose is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
Date: 4th November 2017
Location: Loch Gruinart RSPB reserve, Islay, Argyll
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Also in: Black geese
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