Photo: Imran Shah from Islamabad, Pakistan / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Greylag Goose

Anser anser

Greylag Goose (Anser anser) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Australian Capital Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of New South Wales Ducks, Geese & Swans of Northern Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of Queensland Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Tasmania Ducks, Geese & Swans of Victoria Ducks, Geese & Swans of Western Australia Ducks, Geese & Swans of Alberta Ducks, Geese & Swans of British Columbia

See what's near you right now

The Greylag Goose (Anser anser) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 3.3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Anser
Species anser

Where it lives

Central, western

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 3.3 kg
Diet: Plant-eaters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Greylag Goose feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Greylag Goose is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Greylag Goose (Anser anser) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL c, w.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3.3 kg, with a wing length of about 43.6 cm and a tail of around 13.6 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 13.3 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Greylag Goose — Call

Recorded by Grzegorz Lorek Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Greylag Goose — Alarm call, call

Recorded by Simon Gillings Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Greylag Goose — Begging call, call

Recorded by Andrew Harrop Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Greylag Goose — Call

Recorded by Jordi Calvet Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Greylag Goose — Call, displaying

Recorded by David Darrell-Lambert Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

All Greylag Goose sounds, grouped by type →

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Greylag Goose?

The Greylag Goose is a very large bird that weighs around 3.3 kg.

Where does the Greylag Goose live?

The Greylag Goose is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL c, w, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Greylag Goose belong to?

The Greylag Goose (Anser anser) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Greylag Goose eat?

The Greylag Goose feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.

Does the Greylag Goose migrate?

The Greylag Goose is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Greylag 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 Greylag Goose make?

5 real field recordings of the Greylag Goose — including its call, alarm call and begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, each credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Greylag Goose's range?

The Greylag Goose has a mapped global range of about 13.3 million km².