by Denise Marie Anton

Created on: April 23, 2008   Last Updated: July 21, 2010

The Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) is a small goose native to northern Europe and Greenland.  It is a member of the genus Branta, which includes the larger Canada Goose and the Brant or Brent Goose, as well as the smaller Cackling Goose.

Description

The Barnacle Goose ranges in size from about 23 to 27 inches (58 to 68 cm) in length. Its distinctive, creamy white face contrasts dramatically with the glossy black sheen of its thick neck, jaunty cap, and stubby bill. Its wings and back are bluish gray punctuated by black-and-white bars. (Juvenile Barnacle Geese have narrower, rounder feathers that blur this barred pattern.) In flight, the Barnacle Goose displays light, silvery gray wing linings set off by darker, bluish gray primaries. Males and females have similar plumage. A few "leucistic" (all-white or mostly white) Barnacle Geese have also been reported.

Vocalizations and Displays

Barnacle Geese are a noisy lot, especially in large flocks. Their high-pitched honking has been compared to the yapping of lapdogs, and even their wings make a creaking sound in flight.

Habitat

During the winter months, the Barnacle Goose is found mainly along the northwestern coast of Europe. Although wild Barnacle Geese sometimes stray as far west as the Maritime Provinces of Canada, most North American sightings are probably escapees from captivity.

Food and Foraging

Barnacle Geese spend more time on land than their cousins the Brants. They forage in salt marshes, tidal mudflats, coastal pastures and fields for their favorite diet of grasses, seeds, and shoots. They are especially fond of white clover shoots, which are rich in starch.

Movements and Migration

Barnacle Geese usually flock together in large numbers, but they have also been known to fraternize with Canada Geese and other species. Although sociable, they sometimes quarrel while feeding. They have little fear of humans and can be approached more easily than many other goose species.

Breeding

The Barnacle Goose breeds primarily in three remote areas: northeastern Greenland, Spitsbergen, and a collection of Russian islands north of Siberia between the Barents and Kara Seas. These breeding grounds were unknown until 1891. During the Middle Ages, these birds were thought to grew from a species of barnacle (appropriately named the "Goose Barnacle") that bears a superficial resemblance to their facial pattern.

To protect their young from predators, Barnacle Geese build their nests in some of the most treacherous

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