Behaviour This species is highly migratory¹⁶. Following the post-breeding moult it migrates southwards overland in mid- to late-September^16,20, arriving on its wintering grounds in October-November. Here it is highly gregarious and occurs in flocks, regularly in association with the White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons²¹. The return journey is made between March and May¹⁶, often together with A. albifrons²⁰. It flies in dense flocks rather than in the defined V-formation typical of other goose species²⁰, and arrives on its breeding grounds in small flocks of 3-15 individuals²². It begins to breed in June in loose colonies, usually of around five pairs^16,21, although up to 37 have been observed²⁰. Habitat Breeding It breeds in tundra or scrubby 'wooded' tundra^16,21, in close proximity to rivers and gulleys²¹. It favours high and dry areas on steep river banks and precipices, low hills, rock outcrops and rocky islands²⁰. Less commonly it inhabits low islands in lowland areas²⁰. Vegetative cover in its preferred habitats is usually thin and includes dwarf birch Betula, willow salix, and dead grass²⁰. Non-breeding During the non-breeding season it inhabits open steppe and open rolling lowland hills, feeding among pasture, stubble and crop fields²¹. Throughout the day it flies to coastal and freshwater lakes to drink²⁰. Occasionally it also roosts at these lakes, using the middle of the water or remote shallow areas and muddy and sandy beaches with low aquatic vegetation²⁰. It will also roost on frozen lakes or on the sea²⁰. Diet Breeding On its breeding grounds it feeds primarily on grass leaves and the shoots of cotton-grasses Eriophorum angustifolium and E. scheuchzeri, as well as some Carex and Equisetum spp.²⁰. Non-breeding Wintering geese feed on winter wheat, barley, maize, pasture grasses and, in Greece, natural grassland²⁰. They also feed on arid-adapted herbs such as Salicornia²². At migration staging areas the diet is thought to consist largely of grass shoots, supplemented with tubers and rhizomes²⁰. Breeding site The species nests in hollows and fissures in the ground, usually 50-80mm deep and 200mm in diameter²⁰. Nests are lined with dark-grey down and grass²⁰. They are often constructed near to the eyries of birds of prey²⁰, since breeding success may depend on nesting Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus and Snowy Owl Bubo scandiaca providing protection from predators^8,23,24. Successful breeding seasons are also associated with good lemming years, when predators are sated by the lemming population and predation of geese is much lower.

Red List Category

Red List Criteria

Version

2008

BirdLife International

Burfield, I., Butchart, S., Pople, R.

Hulea, D., Mikityuk, A., Zöckler, C., Bukreev, S., Dereliev, S.

This species has a moderately small population which appears to have declined rapidly over a short time period. The reasons for this decline are largely unknown. Small populations of other Arctic breeding geese have shown dramatic population fluctuations and this may prove to be the case for this species. However, the species is precautionarily listed as Endangered.

Coordinated censuses in January 2003, 2004 and 2005 resulted in totals of 33,600, 52,800 and 32,100 respectively. Geometric mean of these totals 38,500 (S. Dereliev in litt. to Wetlands International 2005). Re-calculating this including the 2006 count of c.34,000 gives a revised geometric mean of 37,000 individuals.

Decreasing

Following land privatization, and especially the residential and tourist development boom in winter roosting and feeding areas, the quality of roosting areas has decreased. In addition, the low profitability of agriculture in comparison to construction development has reduced the area under winter wheat cultivation which, together with conversion to other crops (cash crops, legumes and energy crops), has decreased the availability of food and increased the energetic cost to the geese. Some key feeding sites have been lost in Bulgaria⁴. Hunting pressure on waterfowl as a whole has increased substantially in Bulgaria and Romania, including illegal shooting at Red-breasted Goose¹⁷. Disturbance in the lakes used for roosts is caused by poachers and fishermen^3,15. Disturbance/chasing of feeding birds by hunters is a significant limitation on foraging behaviour and prenuptial accumulation of fat reserves, which has a negative effect on survival during spring migration and breeding^18,19. Hunting by tourists in Ukraine poses an increasing threat² and birds are shot at staging grounds in Russia. Climate change and associated habitat shifts are expected to impact negatively on this species and others dependent on tundra habitat for breeding. Modelling indicates that 67% of the habitat for this species could be lost by 2070⁹. Other threats include industrial developments at breeding sites in Gydan and Yamal, the use of rodenticides in the wintering grounds, as well as displacement by windfarms in the wintering areas.

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. CMS Appendix I and II. It is legally protected in key states⁶. Parts of its breeding range and principal wintering roost sites are protected (some qualifying as Ramsar sites), but hunting occurs in feeding areas. A management plan is being implemented for roosting lakes in Bulgaria⁴. Wintering sites in Bulgaria and Romania are monitored and research and public awareness projects are ongoing^4,5,6. A European action plan was published in 1996. An International Species Working Group is active and a coordinator is in place.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Expand monitoring and research programmes, especially in Ukraine to determine whether more birds are overwintering there. Identify and protect key staging areas. Prevent loss of roosting lakes to urbanization. Monitor and reduce disturbance and illegal hunting. Monitor changes in agriculture. Promote beneficial agricultural policies. Continue public awareness initiatives. Lobby for full designation of qualifying wetlands and feeding areas as Natura 2000 sites and ensure they are properly managed.