This is my Red-Breasted Goose fact sheet!

ANIMAL:	Red-Breasted Goose        Branta ruficollis
Type of Animal:	Goose
Habitat:	Steppe, lakes, wetlands, tundra, rocky areas, river banks, wooded tundra, sandy beaches
Location(s):	Breeds in arctic Europe, N. Russia & Siberia, winters along Black Sea, Caspian Sea, E. Mediterranean, and N. Arabian Gulf in Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey & Greece. Occasionally found in W. Europe.
Appearance:	Black & white w/ conspicuous red breast & black mask. Broad white stripe on flank.
Food/Diet:	Leaves, shoots, grass, stems, aquatic plants, tubers, wheat, barley, maize, other grains, herbs
Status in Wild:	Threatened
Conservation:	Breeding from zoos, aviculture, breeding centers & wildlife parks
Lifestyle:	During winter & migrations, they form flocks of 14-50 birds, sometimes 100 birds. During breeding/nesting season, they break off into monogamous pairs.
Additional Info:	Males: Females: Young: Group: Called: Gander Goose Gosling Flock/Gaggle Weight: 3-3.5 lbs 2.43-2.65 lbs Gestation:  Life Span: 25 days Height: 1.83 ft 1.75 ft Body Length: 1.83 ft 1.75 ft 15 years in wild, 25 years in captivity Tail Length: 0.083 ft Same
	Main predators are foxes, large owls, hawks, eagles & gyrfalcons. Gulls prey on goslings. Interestingly, sometimes raptors indirectly protect goose families by driving out competing raptor species, foxes & gulls (both of which raptors eat). This leads to geese nesting near but not too close to raptors. However, sometimes foxes eat raptors excluding eagles. Red-Breasted Geese often nest close to Peregrine Falcons (which don’t prey on geese but eat gulls) for protection. Peregrines also drive away foxes.
	Declining due to water/air pollution, oil exploration, habitat loss, collisions w/ human infrastructure, tourism, urban sprawl, agricultural development, persecution as crop pests, use of pesticides & hunting for meat/sport.
	These geese are rather shy in the wild, avoiding people.
	Females lay 3-10 eggs each season.
	Smallest of the European geese.
	While both parents take care of goslings, female does all incubation.
Fun Fact(s):	Modeling indicates two-thirds of its habitat could be lost by 2070.
	The population has halved in the last 10 years.
	It is rather common in captive wildfowl collections.

Advertisement