The pink-footed goose is a goose which breeds in eastern Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, and recently Novaya Zemlya. It is migratory, wintering in northwest Europe, especially Ireland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and western Denmark. The name is often abbreviated in colloquial usage to "pinkfoot". Anser is the Latin for "goose", and brachyrhynchus comes from the ancient Greek brachus, meaning "short", and rhunchos, meaning "bill".
Region
Arctic North Atlantic and Northwest Europe
Typical Environment
Breeds on tundra, rocky outcrops, and near glacier margins in eastern Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard. Nests are placed on cliffs, islets, and mossy uplands close to freshwater. During migration it stages at coastal wetlands and lowland fields. In winter it uses estuaries and roosts on large lakes, flying out to agricultural land to feed.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Other
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Often called the 'pinkfoot', this goose forms spectacular V-shaped flocks during migration between Arctic breeding grounds and northwest Europe. It shows strong site fidelity to traditional wintering areas and feeding fields. Conservation-friendly farming practices, such as leaving sugar beet tops or stubble, can benefit wintering flocks.
The pink feet which give it its name
Part of a feeding flock in winter
Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden
Temperament
wary and alert, highly social
Flight Pattern
strong flier with rapid wingbeats; migrates in tight V-formations
Social Behavior
Forms large flocks outside the breeding season and often feeds communally in open fields. Pairs are generally monogamous and may remain together for many years. Nests semi-colonially, with both parents guarding and leading goslings to feeding areas soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Calls are high-pitched, yelping honks, often rendered as a brisk 'wink-wink'. Flocks give a lively, conversational chorus in flight and at roosts.
Plumage
Overall brownish‑grey body with darker head and neck, pale grey upperparts, and a neat white trailing edge to the wings in flight.
Diet
Primarily grazes on grasses, sedges, and rushes on breeding and staging grounds. In winter it feeds heavily on agricultural crops, including waste grain, young cereals, and sugar beet remnants. It will also pull up roots and tubers where available.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in open lowland fields, pastures, and stubble near safe roost sites such as lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries. On breeding grounds it forages on tundra flats and wet meadows close to water.
