Photo: Linnea Samila / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsis
Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.7 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 Branta
- Species leucopsis
Where it lives
High Arctic eastern Greenland, Svalbard (north of Norway), Novaya Zemlya and nearby Kolguyev and Vaygach is. (northwestern Russia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.7 kg
- Diet
- Plant-eaters
- Family
- Anatidae
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Barnacle 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 Barnacle Goose is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) is a member of the Anatidae family, within the order Anseriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL high Arctic e Greenland, Svalbard (n of Norway), Novaya Zemlya and nearby Kolguyev and Vaygach is. (nw Russia).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.7 kg, with a wing length of about 38.2 cm and a tail of around 12.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 179,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Barnacle Goose?
The Barnacle Goose is a very large bird that weighs around 1.7 kg.
Where does the Barnacle Goose live?
The Barnacle Goose is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL high Arctic e Greenland, Svalbard (n of Norway), Novaya Zemlya and nearby Kolguyev and Vaygach is. (nw Russia), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Barnacle Goose belong to?
The Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the Barnacle Goose eat?
The Barnacle Goose feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.
Does the Barnacle Goose migrate?
The Barnacle Goose is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Barnacle 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 Barnacle Goose make?
4 real field recordings of the Barnacle Goose — including its call, alarm 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 Barnacle Goose's range?
The Barnacle Goose has a mapped global range of about 179,000 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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