# Barnacle Goose (*Branta leucopsis*) The Barnacle Goose is a lovely bird with a black head and white cheeks. They are known for their strong flying skills and often travel in groups, making them fun to watch in the sky! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Barnacle Goose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Branta_leucopsis_-standing_in_a_field-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andrey from Finland, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Branta_leucopsis_-standing_in_a_field-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Barnacle Goose has a striking white face with a black cap and bill, contrasting sharply with its black neck and chest. Its back is grey with black and white bars, while its belly is pure white, making it visually distinct from other geese. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Branta ## Interesting facts - Baby Barnacle Geese bravely jump from high cliff nests days after hatching! - Barnacle Geese usually mate for life, staying with the same partner each breeding season. - During winter, thousands of Barnacle Geese gather together in massive feeding flocks! - Their name comes from a medieval myth that they grew on trees from barnacles! ## Special abilities - **Cliff Nesting Acrobatics:** Barnacle Geese can nest on high cliff ledges because their goslings are adapted to jump safely to the ground below days after hatching. - **Long-Distance Flight:** Barnacle Geese can fly thousands of kilometers during migration because they have strong wings and efficient flight patterns. - **Social Communication:** Barnacle Geese have a range of loud calls that help them communicate with their flock, especially during migration and feeding. - **Efficient Grazing:** Barnacle Geese can quickly consume large amounts of plant matter because they have strong bills and a digestive system for grazing. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 58-70 cm - **Wingspan:** 120-142 cm - **Weight:** 1.2-2.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-18 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-6 - **Incubation:** 24-27 days - **Migration Distance:** 3500 km ## Diet & Feeding Barnacle Geese are plant-eaters that love to graze on grass and other greenery. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, sedges, saltmarsh plants, agricultural crops - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Foxes prey on Barnacle Goose eggs and young goslings. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-eagle) (*Haliaeetus albicilla*) — Eagles sometimes hunt goslings or weaker adult geese. - **Depends on:** Annual Meadow Grass (*Poa annua*) — A primary food source, they graze on the shoots and leaves. - **Depends on:** Procumbent Pearlwort (*Sagina procumbens*) — Commonly eaten plant found in their breeding and wintering grounds. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Barnacle Goose? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Barnacle Goose? 58-70 cm ### What is Barnacle Goose's wingspan? 120-142 cm ### How much does Barnacle Goose weigh? 1.2-2.2 kg ### How long does Barnacle Goose live? 10-18 years ### How fast can Barnacle Goose move? 70 km/h ### What does Barnacle Goose eat? Barnacle Geese are plant-eaters that love to graze on grass and other greenery. ### Where is Barnacle Goose usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Cedarmere-Clayton Estates](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedarmere-clayton-estates) — New York, US · Historic District - [Pairi Daiza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pairi-daiza) — Hainaut, BE · Zoo - [Naturpark Mecklenburgische Schweiz und Kummerower See](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mecklenburgische-schweiz-kummerower-see-nature-park) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Park - [Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lower-saxony-wadden-sea-national-park) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park - [Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hamburg-wadden-sea-national-park) — Hamburg, DE · Park - [Knowsley Safari Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/knowsley-safari-park) — England, GB · Zoo [View all places to see Barnacle Goose](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/barnacle-goose) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Barnacle Goose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barnacle-goose)