Barnacle Goose Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements
The Barnacle Goose, also known by its scientific name Branta leucopsis, is a medium-sized goose that stands out with its bold black, white, and grey feathers. The black head, neck, and chest along with a creamy-white face and underbelly, create a sharp contrast. Its wings and back are marked with a mix of silver-grey and black bars.
Keep reading to learn more about the Barnacle Goose, including its eating habits, size, predators, and the conservation status of this striking species.
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The Dietary Habits Of The Barnacle Goose
Let’s take a closer look at what Barnacle Geese eat and how their young feed themselves after hatching.
What Does A Barnacle Goose Eat?
Barnacle geese are mostly herbivorous grazers, with a preference for grasses like Timothy and Fescue in the winter. In their Arctic breeding grounds, they add mosses, herbs, and plant stems to their diet. While migrating and during winter, they also feed on agricultural crops and pastures, and occasionally consume aquatic vegetation as well.
What To Feed A Baby Barnacle Goose?
Adult Barnacle geese don’t directly feed their young. Instead, the goslings, being precocial, are able to fend for themselves almost immediately after hatching. Their diet mainly consists of grasses, mosses, and herbs, and though the parents lead them to the feeding areas, the young are responsible for finding their own meals.
Breeding Habits Of Barnacle Geese
When it comes to breeding, Barnacle geese tend to nest between late May and June. Their preferred spots are on cliff edges or rocky outcrops close to water, found in places like Greenland, Svalbard, and northern Russia. These high-altitude locations help protect their eggs from predators, and the nests are padded with down and moss.
The average clutch size for Barnacle geese is 3 to 5 eggs. While the female incubates the eggs for around 24-26 days, the male stays close by to protect them. The newly hatched goslings are precocial, meaning they can walk and feed right after they hatch. After leaving the nest, they follow their parents to feeding grounds, often needing to jump from cliffs to avoid predators. These young geese are ready to fledge within 40-45 days.
Do Barnacle Geese Mate For Life?
Barnacle geese typically mate for life, maintaining pair bonds that can endure for many years, sometimes as long as 14 years. Pairs that stay together for longer periods tend to have more offspring, making these long-term relationships quite beneficial. Separations are rare and generally occur only after a partner’s death. On occasion, a goose might find a new partner if its mate dies.
The Size & Weight Of Barnacle Geese
Let’s go over the size and weight of Barnacle geese, including their body length and wingspan.
How Much Does A Barnacle Goose Weigh?
The weight of Barnacle geese ranges from 1.2 to 2.2 kilograms (2.6 to 4.9 pounds), with males being just a bit heavier than females. Their distinctive black and white plumage and compact size make them stand out from other geese species.
How Big Is A Barnacle Goose?
With a body length ranging from 55 to 70 cm (21 to 28 inches) and a wingspan between 131 to 146 cm (51 to 57 inches), Barnacle geese are medium-sized birds. Their sturdy, compact bodies make them well-suited for long-distance flights during migration.
Are Barnacle Geese Under Threat?
Barnacle geese aren’t considered endangered, and the IUCN Red List ranks them as a species of Least Concern. In recent decades, their population has grown, particularly throughout Europe. Despite this, they are flagged as an Amber Species of Conservation Concern in the UK. This is largely due to threats such as altered agricultural practices and conflicts with farmers in their wintering spots. Moreover, climate change is shifting migration patterns, which could affect food supplies and suitable habitats for the birds disrupting migration patterns, which might influence food sources and the suitability of habitats.
What Eats A Barnacle Goose?
At different stages of life, Barnacle geese are vulnerable to several predators. One of their main threats is the Arctic fox, which preys on goslings and eggs, particularly when the young take their risky leap from cliff nests. Polar bears, too, are known to raid nests, while birds like the glaucous gull and the great skua tend to attack eggs and the young. As for adult geese, they face danger from larger birds of prey, including the white-tailed eagle and peregrine falcon.
Where Can I See Barnacle Geese In The UK?
During the winter months, Barnacle geese can be spotted across the UK, as they migrate from breeding grounds in Greenland, Svalbard, and Iceland.
Tens of thousands of geese gather on Islay in Scotland, a key spot for birdwatchers during the colder months. The Solway Firth is another notable area, where the entire Svalbard population winters, with feeding on the Scottish side and roosting on the Cumbrian side. Additionally, smaller, naturalised populations have established themselves in various wetlands throughout England and Wales.
SEE ALSO: Barnacle Goose Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Barnacle Geese are monogamous. They typically form lifelong pair bonds, with separations only occurring after a partner’s death.
The predators of a Barnacle Goose include Arctic foxes, polar bears, glaucous gulls, great skuas, white-tailed eagles, and peregrine falcons, which mainly target their eggs, goslings, and sometimes adults.
The size of a Barnacle Goose ranges from 55 to 70 cm in body length, with a wingspan between 131 and 146 cm.
Barnacle Geese eat grasses, mosses, herbs, and occasionally aquatic vegetation, particularly during migration and winter.
