Specie's Page                                               Water Fowl - Greylag Geese

Greylag Goose:   UK Status: Resident and native, re-enforced by overwintering birds.

Habitat: This goose likes similar territory to the Canada Goose, and can often be seen mixing in with flocks of Canada. To be found on many lakes, pools, rivers and canals, this goose can be quite tame, and some times confrontational. It is very similar in appearance to the over wintering Pink-footed Goose, and novices should be wary of identifying the two species correctly. The Greylag's bill is orangey yellow, with a circular pink patch at the tip. Pink-footed bills are blackish, with a broad pink stripe dividing the blackish into two areas.

Breeding: Greylag Geese started becoming scarce, so geese from breeding programs have been released into various suitable habitats around the UK, in areas where they became extinct. Nests are usually found on the ground on dry land, usually amongst shrubby vegetation. Sometimes they will nest on small islands, or a floating raft of reeds.

Comment: Usually seen in small flocks in lowland river valley's, sometimes single birds are sighted on their own, often among other species of geese.. Truly wild Greylag Geese are only found in Scotland these days. Greylags in the rest of the UK are semi tame.