Photo: Frank Schulenburg / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 2.5 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Anseriformes
- Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
- Genus Anser
- Species albifrons
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.5 kg
- Diet
- Plant-eaters
- Family
- Anatidae
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Greater White-fronted Goose feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Greater White-fronted Goose is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) belongs to the Anatidae family of the order Anseriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean, Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, PAL widespread.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.5 kg, with a wing length of about 40.8 cm and a tail of around 12.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Greater White-fronted Goose?
The Greater White-fronted Goose is a very large bird that weighs around 2.5 kg.
Where does the Greater White-fronted Goose live?
The Greater White-fronted Goose is found across Central America & Caribbean, Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, MA, PAL widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Greater White-fronted Goose belong to?
The Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the Greater White-fronted Goose eat?
The Greater White-fronted Goose feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.
Does the Greater White-fronted Goose migrate?
The Greater White-fronted Goose is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Greater White-fronted Goose endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Greater White-fronted Goose make?
4 real field recordings of the Greater White-fronted Goose — including its call and flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, each credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Greater White-fronted Goose's range?
The Greater White-fronted Goose has a mapped global range of about 5.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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