Behaviour This species is strongly migratory and travels between breeding grounds in the high Arctic to wintering grounds in the temperate and subtropical zones¹. Populations that breed in the taiga nest in early-May, with those breeding in the tundra nesting one month later in early-June^{1, 2}. The species breeds in solitary pairs, usually with nests well-dispersed⁶ (although it will also nest in loose groups)¹. After breeding the species undergoes a moulting period when it is flightless for c.1 month between July and August⁵, some populations undertaking extensive northward moult migrations², and most congregating into large moulting flocks near open water⁵. The species departs from its breeding grounds after this post-breeding moulting period in early-September, arriving in the winter quarters from late-September through October³. It remains gregarious throughout the winter³ (although it occurs in smaller, loose flocks than many other goose species)⁶ and roosts close to feeding areas³ in mixed-species flocks on lakes, rivers and flooded lands². Habitat Breeding The species breeds near lakes, pools, rivers and streams in high Arctic tundra or the taiga forest zone¹. Taiga nesting populations show a preference for scrubby birch Betula spp. forest³ and dense spruce forest with bogs or mires³, whereas tundra-based populations nest on damp tundra of moss, grass, sedge or scrub⁴ near river flood-plains (but above flood levels)^{2, 3}, on Arctic islands and in Arctic coastal regions³. Non-breeding During the winter and on passage the species inhabits marshes, agricultural land¹ (pastures, arable fields, rice-paddies)², damp steppe grassland³, flood-lands, rivers and coastal shallows⁶ in open country¹. It also roosts on lakes, rivers and flood-lands in Europe during this season². Diet The species is herbivorous¹, its diet consisting of herbs, grasses, sedges¹ and mosses⁴, complemented during the breeding season by berries (e.g. from Empetrum or Vaccinium spp.)¹. During the winter it feeds predominantly on agricultural land taking grain, beans, potatoes¹ and sprouting winter cereal crops². Breeding site The species builds a nest of vegetation in a shallow scrape on the ground¹. Taiga breeders nest in bogs or mires within forested regions, placing nests within 400 m of open mire and within 2 km of open water, usually 50-100 cm above bog surfaces on hummocks that are safe from flooding². Tundra breeders nest on dry hummocks and moss². Management information An investigation carried out in one of the species' wintering areas (UK) found that it was most likely to forage on improved grassland or grasslands grazed by cattle that were a minimum of 5 ha in area, had an optimum sward height of c.20 cm and were at a distance of less than 9 km away from roosting sites¹⁰.

TACCTCATCTTCGGGGCATGAGCAGGAATAGTCGGCACCGCACTC---AGCCTATTAATCCGCGCAGAACTAGGACAGCCAGGAACTCTCCTAGGCGAC---GACCAAATTTACAACGTAATCGTTACCGCCCACGCCTTTGTAATAATCTTCTTTATAGTCATACCCATCATGATCGGAGGATTCGGCAACTGATTAGTCCCCCTCATA---ATCGGTGCCCCCGACATAGCATTCCCACGAATAAACAACATAAGCTTTTGACTCCTCCCCCCATCATTCCTCCTACTACTAGCTTCATCCACTGTAGAAGCTGGCGCCGGCACAGGCTGAACTGTCTACCCTCCCCTAGCAGGTAACCTCGCCCACGCCGGAGCTTCAGTAGACCTG---GCTATCTTCTCACTCCACTTAGCCGGTATCTCCTCCATTCTTGGGGCCATCAACTTTATTACCACAGCTATCAACATAAAACCCCCCGCACTCTCACAATACCAAACCCCACTATTTGTCTGATCCGTACTAATTACCGCCATCCTACTCCTTCTATCACTCCCCGTACTCGCCGCC---GGTATTACAATACTACTAACTGATCGAAACCTAAACACCACATTCTTCGATCCCGCTGGAGGAGGAGACCCAATCCTGTACCAACACCTATTCTGATTCTTCGGACACCCAGAAGTCTATATTCTGATCCTACCAGGATTTGGAATT
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Red List Category

Red List Criteria

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The species declined in the past due to hunting (resulting in mortality, injury and disturbance)^{1, 2, 8} and habitat loss¹. Habitat degradation due to oil pollution^{7, 8}, drainage, peat-extraction, changing management practices (decreased grazing and mowing in meadows leading to scrub over-growth) and forest clearance is a threat to breeding areas in Russia⁷, Norway and Sweden³. The species also suffers from human persecution³ and is susceptible to poisoning by pesticides used on agricultural land⁹.