Birds
Anser brachyrhynchus Baillon, 1834
Nomenclature
Species:
Anser brachyrhynchus Baillon, 1834
Vernacular names:
Vernacular name:
Pink-footed Goose
Usage:
valid
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Synonyms: 1
SUMMARY
One of the iconic sights and sounds of the winter, flocks of over 100,000 Pink-footed Geese descend upon Norfolk each autumn, having left their Icelandic breeding grounds and filtered through down the UK, many stopping in Scotland and Lancashire on the way. The numbers hosted by the county are of huge international significance, at times representing over half of the world population. The majority of birds are to be found in the north-west corner of the county, feeding on farmland and marshes from King’s Lynn round to Holt, with smaller numbers in the Broads. Whilst dispersed in the day, the geese gather in spectacular roosts in the evening, notably at Snettisham, Scolt Head and in the Holkham/Wells area.
Text: Andy Musgrove