Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchus
Length 60-75cm

A small, compact goose. Bill rather small in comparison to other grey geese and shows variable pink band towards tip. Head and neck chocolate brown, grading to buffish brown on breast and belly. Stern white and back and wings grey. As name suggests, legs and feet pink. A winter visitor from Arctic breeding grounds, present from October to March; birds from Iceland and Greenland winter mainly in E Scotland while birds seen in E England come mainly from Svalbard. In flight, wings look quite pale; flies in extended 'v' formations uttering higher pitched calls than other grey geese. Usually seen in flocks comprising several hundred birds and favours areas of grassland and stubble fields; sometimes seen on wetlands or saltmarshes, usually after disturbance at favoured feeding areas.