Pink-footed goose

When: Autumn & Winter

Scientific name: Anser brachyrhynchus

Gaelic name: gèadh dearg-chasach

Size: Around 70cm in length, wingspan 1.5 metres

Where: Feeding on the mudflats on the banks of the Forth

Autumn is certainly on it's way when you begin to hear the call of Pink-footed geese flying over the Inner Forth landscape, arriving from cooler climes for their winter residency along the river.

Pink-footed geese are welcome visitors to our mudflats and fields every year. The Inner Forth estuary is in fact recognised as an internationally important area for this species. Flying in from Iceland, Spitsbergen and Greenland, these gregarious geese gather on the estuary to enjoy the milder climate over the winter, returning north to breed over the summer. Smaller than a mute swan yet larger than a mallard, this species has a relatively short bill, and as the name suggests, pink feet.

They can be seen on sunny autumn days, flying overhead in a typical 'V' formation and honking collectively to make quite a racket! They feed out in the fields on carbohydrate rich foods to keep their energy levels up over the winter, returning to roost on the mudflats at night, away from the threat of predators.

To hear the geese these days is a welcome reminder that there is all kinds of wildlife enriching our surroundings, however it was once believed that to hear a goose honking at night was a sign that you would be unsuccessful in your next venture. Their physiology also appears to be a good indicator of the weather ahead, according to this rhyme:

"If the November goose bone be thick,

So will the winter weather be,

If the November goose bone be thin,

Just such a winter you will see." 

Whatever the weather, let's be sure to protect and cherish these special visitors for years to come!

More information can be found here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/p/pinkfootedgoose/