The species breeds in Arctic semi-desert tundra (fjellmark) (Kear 2005) on crags, rocky outcrops (Billerman et al. 2020), cliffs, rocky slopes (Johnsgard 1978) and coastal islands (Svalbard) (Kear 2005) near wetlands such as lakes, rivers, marshes, the upper parts of fjords, coastlines (Johnsgard 1978), wet meadows and mudflats (Kear 2005). In years when the snow is slow to melt the species first forages on grassy vegetation on south-facing mountain slopes fertilised by the droppings of cliff-nesting seabirds before moving down to breeding areas (Kear 2005a). During the non-breeding season the species frequents tidal mudflats, saltmarshes and adjacent coastal meadows (Johnsgard 1978), with agricultural fields becoming increasingly more important as winter feeding areas (Scott and Rose 1996). It is present on its breeding grounds from May or June to August or September (Kear 2005) where it breeds in small but often closely packed colonies (Billerman et al. 2020) of 5-50 pairs, occasionally singly or in groups of up to 150 pairs (Snow and Perrins 1998). It uses the same nesting sites year after year (Johnsgard 1978). The nest is a shallow depression lined with grass, moss, lichen and down, with thick layer of droppings around rim found on cliff ledges or on ground on coastal islands, although Svalbard birds also traditionally nested on cliffs or hillsides in larger valleys. Usually three to five eggs are laid. The species is herbivorous; its diet consisting of the leaves, stems and seed-heads of grasses, sedges, aquatic plants. It may also take agricultural grain and vegetables during the winter (Billerman et al. 2020). This species is fully migratory and travels on a narrow front (Kear 2005) between extremely localised breeding and wintering areas (Billerman et al. 2020).

Although the generation length for both EU and Europe regional assessments were calculated using the same methodology, new information arriving after the EU assessments were undertaken gave rise to an update in the generation lengths. This new information was then used for the Europe level assessments giving rise to a difference between the generation lengths used for the EU and Europe regions.

In Europe, this species breeds primarily in Russia, with smaller populations found mainly in countries around the Baltic and the north Atlantic.
It winters mainly in the Netherlands and Germany, and also notably in Denmark.

Conservation Actions Underway
Bern Convention Appendix II. EU Birds Directive Annex I. CMS Appendix II. Today the species is fully protected throughout its range (Kear 2005). The Barnacle Goose Management Scheme (BGMS) awards payments to farmers who manage pastures outside of established reserves for reducing the level of disturbance (e.g. scaring away feeding flocks) on their land. Its efforts, integrating conservation and agricultural aims, have succeeded in increasing goose populations around the Solway Firth, U.K. (Cope et al. 2003). The species is also listed on the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).

Conservation Actions Proposed
The expansion and quality of measures that integrate conservation and agricultural aims, should be expanded and the dedicated reserve network increased (Cope et al. 2003). Research should be undertaken to investigate the impacts of Arctic Fox predation on Svalbard.