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| Subspecies: | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Est. World Population: | 19000-48000, 33000 |
| CITES Status: | NOT LISTED |
| IUCN Status: | Vulnerable |
| U.S. ESA Status: | NOT LISTED |
| Body Length: | |
| Tail Length: | |
| Shoulder Height: | |
| Weight: | |
| Top Speed: | |
| Jumping Ability: | (Horizontal) |
| Life Span: | in the Wild |
| Life Span: | in Captivity |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Females) |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Males) |
| Litter Size: | |
| Gestation Period: | |
Habitat:
Breeds in dry shrub and lichen-covered tundra, with vegetation of dwarf Betula (birch) and Salix (willows), in close proximity to rivers and gulleys, favouring high and dry areas on steep river banks and precipices, low hills, rock outcrops and rocky islands (Madge and Burn 1988, Kear 2005).
Winters in low arable land near lakes and reservoirs, as well as open steppe and open rolling lowland hills, coastal lines, and pasture (Madge and Burn 1988, Kear 2005). Occasionally it also roosts at lakes, using the middle of the water or remote shallow areas and muddy and sandy beaches with low aquatic vegetation, and will also roost on frozen lakes and at sea (Kear 2005).
On its breeding grounds it feeds primarily on Fabaceae and to a lesser extent grass leaves and the shoots of cotton-grasses (Eriophorum angustifolium and E. scheuchzeri), as well as some Carex and Equisetum spp. (Kear 2005). Wintering geese feed on winter wheat, barley, maize, pasture and steppe grasses and, in Greece, natural grassland (Kear 2005). At migration staging areas the diet is thought to consist largely of grass shoots, supplemented with tubers and rhizomes (Kear 2005), as well as the salt marsh’s galophyte complex of Puccinellia distans and Aeroplus littoralis (Simeonov and Possardt 2012).
The species nests in hollows and fissures in the ground, usually 50-80 mm deep and 200 mm in diameter, often constructed near to the eyries of birds of prey (Kear 2005), since breeding success may depend on nesting Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) and Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) providing protection from predators (Quinn et al. 1996, Prop and Quinn 2003, S. Rozenfeld in litt. 2012).
Winters in low arable land near lakes and reservoirs, as well as open steppe and open rolling lowland hills, coastal lines, and pasture (Madge and Burn 1988, Kear 2005). Occasionally it also roosts at lakes, using the middle of the water or remote shallow areas and muddy and sandy beaches with low aquatic vegetation, and will also roost on frozen lakes and at sea (Kear 2005).
On its breeding grounds it feeds primarily on Fabaceae and to a lesser extent grass leaves and the shoots of cotton-grasses (Eriophorum angustifolium and E. scheuchzeri), as well as some Carex and Equisetum spp. (Kear 2005). Wintering geese feed on winter wheat, barley, maize, pasture and steppe grasses and, in Greece, natural grassland (Kear 2005). At migration staging areas the diet is thought to consist largely of grass shoots, supplemented with tubers and rhizomes (Kear 2005), as well as the salt marsh’s galophyte complex of Puccinellia distans and Aeroplus littoralis (Simeonov and Possardt 2012).
The species nests in hollows and fissures in the ground, usually 50-80 mm deep and 200 mm in diameter, often constructed near to the eyries of birds of prey (Kear 2005), since breeding success may depend on nesting Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) and Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) providing protection from predators (Quinn et al. 1996, Prop and Quinn 2003, S. Rozenfeld in litt. 2012).
Range:
This species breeds on the Taimyr, Gydan and Yamal peninsulas, Russia (Hunter and Black 1996). The species migrates through Kazakhstan and southern Russia to the north and west Black Sea coasts, where it primarily winters in Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine, particularly in the Dobrudzha region spanning northeast Bulgaria and eastern Romania, and in the coastal area between the rivers Danube and Dniester in Ukraine (Rusev et al. 2008, Cranswick et al. 2012). The species also occurs in small numbers during the non-breeding season in Azerbaijan (possibly across the border into Iran), Greece, Hungary, Türkiye, and possibly across the Ukrainian border in the Republic of Moldova (Cranswick et al. 2012). It is thought possible that the species regularly winters in Uzbekistan, Moldova, Iran, and Iraq, but information is lacking on these countries (Cranswick et al. 2012). The species may occur also occur as a vagrant during migration throughout much of Europe, occasionally as far afield as Iceland, the United Kingdom, and Spain, and also Asia, notably India, China, and South Korea (eBird 2025).
Conservation:
Conservation and Research Actions Underway
Listed in CITES Appendix II, CMS Appendix I/II, AEWA Annex II and EU Birds Directive Annex I. It is legally protected in key states (Hunter et al. 1999) and is listed in several national Red Lists including the Red Book of Russia and Red Books of Kazakhstan and Bulgaria. Occurs in several protected areas; conservation activities in the area of Shabla and Durankulak lakes have reduced deliberate shooting of the species in 2010-2015 (N. Petkov in litt. 2012, 2016).
An International Action Plan was published in 2010 and updated in 2012 (Cranswick et al. 2010, 2012) and an International Species Working Group (in 2010 it became an AEWA Single Species Working Group [N. Petkov in litt. 2016]) is active and a coordinator is in place. From 2010 to 2015 an EU Life project ran in Bulgaria, which aimed to address many of the key threats operating on the wintering grounds (see Iliev and Petkov 2015). As part of this project, a new mixed patrol scheme has been introduced around Shabla and Durankulak lakes SPAs by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/BirdLife Bulgaria (BSPB) that includes representatives of hunting control and conservation regional authorities and BSPB experts; they also control the legislation and restrictions enforcement in the SPAs territories (N. Petkov in litt. 2016). A Life-funded project was also carried out in Romania in 2005-2008 with the aim of improving the habitat quality of an important saltwater lake used by the species and developing a National Action Plan for the species (Raduescu 2013). Recently, a LIFE project ran from 2017-2023 targeting the entire species flyway, and aimed to secure sufficient foraging areas, safe roosting grounds and prevent disturbance, as well as improve knowledge of the species' ecology and threats, develop management practices, raise awareness and amend hunting regulations by engaging with stakeholders and hunting communities, and develop a flyway-scale monitoring system (see Petkov 2023).
The Red-breasted Goose Common Monitoring and Research Programme was launched in 2003/04, which aims to conduct co-ordinated (usually simultaneous) autumn, winter and spring counts of the species at key sites in the flyway, with some smaller regional/national monitoring schemes also in place (see Cranswick et al. 2012).
A study of goose distribution, movements and feeding preferences has enabled a sensitivity map to be developed so that goose-sensitive guidance may be provided to authorities to help guide development proposals (see Harrison and Hilton 2015). In the Bulgarian National Action Plan for Renewable Energy the key wintering areas have been included as sensitive areas for windfarm development (N. Petkov in litt. 2016).
A payment for the species has been included in the National agri-environmental programme of Romania and recently a temporary hunting ban was agreed for Lake Balta Alba (Bufnila 2015). In Bulgaria, agri-environmental schemes to encourage seeding winter wheat and maize in key wintering areas for geese have been introduced, covering all key feeding areas for this species in the country (N. Petkov in litt. 2016). Spring-hunting of wildfowl was prohibited in southwest Russia in spring 2012. GPS tracking and Satellite telemetry studies have been conducted to try to better understand the species' migration and site use (e.g. Vangeluwe et al. 2012, Simeonov and Possardt 2012, Simeonov et al. 2014).
Conservation and Research Actions Proposed
Continue research into migration patterns, and changes in the wintering range. Expand monitoring and research programs and standardise monitoring methodology across the range (N. Petkov in litt. 2016). Monitor the breeding population in Russia with the aim of determining trends and population size.
Implement a Strategy for Hunting and Waterbird Resource Management (Rozenfeld 2011). Regulate hunting in key sites, and monitor and reduce disturbance and illegal hunting.
Identify and protect key staging areas. Lobby for full designation of qualifying wetlands and feeding areas as Natura 2000 sites, ensure hunting is not allowed within them and ensure they are properly managed.
Monitor changes in agriculture and ensure suitable foraging habitat is available. Promote beneficial agricultural policies and spatial crop rotation planning around roosting areas. Continue public awareness initiatives. Minimise the impact of development (particularly wind turbines) through strategic planning.
Determine the impacts of pesticides and control through guidelines and legislation where appropriate.
Listed in CITES Appendix II, CMS Appendix I/II, AEWA Annex II and EU Birds Directive Annex I. It is legally protected in key states (Hunter et al. 1999) and is listed in several national Red Lists including the Red Book of Russia and Red Books of Kazakhstan and Bulgaria. Occurs in several protected areas; conservation activities in the area of Shabla and Durankulak lakes have reduced deliberate shooting of the species in 2010-2015 (N. Petkov in litt. 2012, 2016).
An International Action Plan was published in 2010 and updated in 2012 (Cranswick et al. 2010, 2012) and an International Species Working Group (in 2010 it became an AEWA Single Species Working Group [N. Petkov in litt. 2016]) is active and a coordinator is in place. From 2010 to 2015 an EU Life project ran in Bulgaria, which aimed to address many of the key threats operating on the wintering grounds (see Iliev and Petkov 2015). As part of this project, a new mixed patrol scheme has been introduced around Shabla and Durankulak lakes SPAs by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/BirdLife Bulgaria (BSPB) that includes representatives of hunting control and conservation regional authorities and BSPB experts; they also control the legislation and restrictions enforcement in the SPAs territories (N. Petkov in litt. 2016). A Life-funded project was also carried out in Romania in 2005-2008 with the aim of improving the habitat quality of an important saltwater lake used by the species and developing a National Action Plan for the species (Raduescu 2013). Recently, a LIFE project ran from 2017-2023 targeting the entire species flyway, and aimed to secure sufficient foraging areas, safe roosting grounds and prevent disturbance, as well as improve knowledge of the species' ecology and threats, develop management practices, raise awareness and amend hunting regulations by engaging with stakeholders and hunting communities, and develop a flyway-scale monitoring system (see Petkov 2023).
The Red-breasted Goose Common Monitoring and Research Programme was launched in 2003/04, which aims to conduct co-ordinated (usually simultaneous) autumn, winter and spring counts of the species at key sites in the flyway, with some smaller regional/national monitoring schemes also in place (see Cranswick et al. 2012).
A study of goose distribution, movements and feeding preferences has enabled a sensitivity map to be developed so that goose-sensitive guidance may be provided to authorities to help guide development proposals (see Harrison and Hilton 2015). In the Bulgarian National Action Plan for Renewable Energy the key wintering areas have been included as sensitive areas for windfarm development (N. Petkov in litt. 2016).
A payment for the species has been included in the National agri-environmental programme of Romania and recently a temporary hunting ban was agreed for Lake Balta Alba (Bufnila 2015). In Bulgaria, agri-environmental schemes to encourage seeding winter wheat and maize in key wintering areas for geese have been introduced, covering all key feeding areas for this species in the country (N. Petkov in litt. 2016). Spring-hunting of wildfowl was prohibited in southwest Russia in spring 2012. GPS tracking and Satellite telemetry studies have been conducted to try to better understand the species' migration and site use (e.g. Vangeluwe et al. 2012, Simeonov and Possardt 2012, Simeonov et al. 2014).
Conservation and Research Actions Proposed
Continue research into migration patterns, and changes in the wintering range. Expand monitoring and research programs and standardise monitoring methodology across the range (N. Petkov in litt. 2016). Monitor the breeding population in Russia with the aim of determining trends and population size.
Implement a Strategy for Hunting and Waterbird Resource Management (Rozenfeld 2011). Regulate hunting in key sites, and monitor and reduce disturbance and illegal hunting.
Identify and protect key staging areas. Lobby for full designation of qualifying wetlands and feeding areas as Natura 2000 sites, ensure hunting is not allowed within them and ensure they are properly managed.
Monitor changes in agriculture and ensure suitable foraging habitat is available. Promote beneficial agricultural policies and spatial crop rotation planning around roosting areas. Continue public awareness initiatives. Minimise the impact of development (particularly wind turbines) through strategic planning.
Determine the impacts of pesticides and control through guidelines and legislation where appropriate.