About the white-fronted goose: a description of the bird. Gray goose, dry goose and goose goose White-fronted goose plant

Lesser white-fronted goose is a medium-sized goose, outwardly similar to a white-fronted goose, only smaller. Sometimes the lesser white-fronted goose is even called the small white-fronted goose. It got its name from the squeak emitted in flight.

Taxonomy

Russian name - Lesser White-fronted Goose

Latin name- Anser erythropus

English name- Lesser white-fronted goose

Class - Birds (Aves)

Detachment - Anseriformes

Family - Duck (Anatidae)

Genus - Geese (Anser)

Conservation status

Lesser white-fronted goose is a rare, protected species. According to its international status, this goose is included in the category of universally vulnerable species - IUCN (VU), included in the lists of the Red Book of Russia and Kazakhstan. Protected on the territory of the Shoininsky reserve on the Kanin peninsula. The once vast habitat of the Lesser White-fronted Goose, which stretched across the entire zone of the forest-tundra and southern tundra of Eurasia, has now disintegrated into separate small foci, and the number has dropped from 100,000 to several thousand birds in half a century. The security measures, unfortunately, do not give positive results, since the Lesser White-fronted Goose is often confused with the white-fronted goose and is shot during migrations.

View and person

Despite its Red Data Book status, the Lesser White-fronted Goose is still frequently shot by hunters, especially on migration, mainly due to its resemblance to the white-fronted goose, which belongs to the hunting species.

Distribution and habitats

Lesser White-fronted Goose nests in the northern part of Eurasia on the border with the tundra, in the forest-tundra and northern taiga. In Russia, it is found from the Kola Peninsula in the west to the Anadyr Bay in the east. Outside Russia, it nests on the Scandinavian Peninsula. The Lesser White-fronted Goose is widespread in the valleys of large rivers, along the shores of lakes and small streams. Often prefers a semi-mountainous landscape, even rising to the zone of alpine meadows.

Appearance

Outwardly, the lesser white-fronted goose is really very similar to the white-fronted goose, only smaller. Its dimensions: body length from 53 to 60 cm, wingspan from 120 to 135 cm, weight of an adult bird from 1.6 to 2.5 kg. Adult birds have a large white spot on the forehead that extends almost to the crown. There is a narrow yellow leathery ring around the eyes. In flight, lesser white-fronted geese look sharper-winged than white-fronted geese.

Lifestyle and social behavior

Lesser White-fronted Goose is a migratory species, winters in southern Europe (in particular on the Balkan Peninsula); in Africa it reaches Egypt; in Asia, it is found in Asia Minor, Iran, India, in the southern parts of the PRC.

With short movements, it flies in a "crowd" with incessant and loud cries, but on long-distance flights, the flock lines up in a line or corner. They practically do not mix with other geese. It walks well on the ground and even runs very nimbly, so it is quite difficult to catch a molting, non-flying goose.

Flights make up most of the life of the Lesser White-fronted Goose; on average, they fly about 8000 km per year.

During wintering, a flock of Lesser White-fronted goose nights in the reeds, and before dawn, the birds rise with a cry, make several circles over the sleeping place and fly to feed. In the afternoon, at 12-13 o'clock, the whole flock just as loudly and amicably flies to the watering hole.

In areas where geese are pursued, Lesser White-fronted Goose are extremely cautious, but where they are not disturbed, they are curious enough and can fly close to an unfamiliar object.

Feeding and feeding behavior

The green vegetation forms the basis of the diet of the lesser white-fronted goose. At the nesting sites, these are horsetails, cotton grass, sedge and other herbs. On wintering grounds, they also feed on a variety of grassy vegetation, and sometimes fly out into the fields.

Reproduction and parenting behavior

White-fronted goose arrive at nesting sites later than other geese, as if completing the flight.

Like all geese, white-fronted goose are monogamous. They nest in low bushes along the steep banks of rivers and streams; wooded areas are avoided. Often, several pairs settle at a short distance from each other, forming, as it were, sparse colonies. At the same time, they are not averse to taking advantage of the protection of the Upland Buzzard or Peregrine Falcon, settling near the nests of these predators. The nest is a simple hole in the ground, lined with dry grass and moss. The down lining in the nest increases as it incubates. A clutch may contain from 1 to 8 eggs, more often 4-6. The eggs are the same as those of other geese, only smaller; the average weight of one egg is 7.4 g. The female incubates, and very densely, in case of danger it often hides. It can let a person come close, after which it flies over the nest with a cry, together with the male, which is always nearby. If there are still nesting couples nearby, they also begin to worry. Incubation lasts 25-28 days.

Broods go into the water and usually keep on small rivers. Young lesser white-fronted goose rise on the wing at the age of 35 days, and become sexually mature in the second year of life.

Life span

In captivity, white-fronted goose live up to 30 years, in nature - much less, according to some sources - no more than 12.

Life at the Moscow Zoo.

Now our zoo contains only 4 lesser white-fronted goose (1 female and 3 males), and the times when they regularly bred, alas, are a thing of the past. The last offspring was obtained in 2008. White-fronted goose live on the Big Pond of the Old Territory. The diet includes plant and animal food, in an amount of about 800 g per individual.

Outwardly, the bird resembles a white-fronted goose, but only of a smaller size.

Therefore, ornithologists sometimes call it a small white-fronted goose or a small goose. The body weight of the bird is small and ranges from one and a half to two kilograms. The color of the plumage is dominated by gray and brown tones. Against the general background, there are more dark-colored breasts, craw and sides, they are covered with brownish-black feathers, and the belly and undertail with beautiful white plumage.

A distinctive feature of the Lesser White-fronted Goose is a white spot located on the crown of the head. The bird has a short, reddish beak.

To build a nest, the lesser white-fronted goose chooses the shores of reservoirs in the northern regions, in the tundra and forest-tundra. The geography of distribution of the species is quite extensive: from the Kola Peninsula to Of the Far East... The bird hibernates in the Crimea, Transcaucasia, on the Black Sea.

Lesser white-fronted goose is a rare bird.

With the onset of spring, flocks of birds rush to their permanent nesting sites, where they appear in April and arrive until the beginning of June. Lesser white-fronted goose chooses secluded places in the lower reaches of small mountain rivers, on the shores of lakes. The bird's nest is simple, usually located among bushes, less often on rocks, but always close to a reservoir.

The female lays 4-8 eggs colored light yellow. The diet of the Lesser White-fronted Goose consists mainly of plants that it finds on the shore of the reservoir. During molting, which happens once a year, the bird behaves extremely cautiously and strays into flocks, they can be found during feeding. During this difficult period, she escapes from enemies by fleeing by land, in addition, the Lesser White-fronted Goose swims well.

In search of food, disordered flocks can make small flights. But with the onset of autumn, the birds make training flights, lining up with an angle or an inclined line. With this construction, all the main load during movement goes to the first bird, it must be the strongest and most enduring.

For wintering, schools of white-fronted goose fly away in September or October. But its presence can be found in many bodies of water encountered on the way of migration of this rare bird. In the European and Asian parts of our homeland, schools of white-fronted goose stop to feed and fly further to warm wintering areas.

A rare bird living in nature is the lesser white-fronted goose. It got its name for the squeak-like sound made during the flight. In appearance, the Lesser White-fronted Goose is similar to the bald goose. Poaching, environmental disasters have led to the fact that the number of individuals has become catastrophically small. Therefore, at the request of Norwegian ornithologists, the bird was listed in the Red Book. The problem of restoring the number of birds in this country is being dealt with with the help of various protective measures.

To reduce poaching, the breed was listed in the Red Book

Although outwardly the bird is close to its relative, the white-headed goose, it is much less in body weight. It is 65 centimeters long, and has a wingspan of 135 centimeters. By weight, this is not a very large specimen, only one and a half to three kilograms.

The color of the feathers of the goose is brownish-gray, but on the belly and undertail it is snow-white. You can distinguish the Lesser White-fronted Goose from other species of geese by the white spot on the head, which reaches eye level. Young individuals lack this feature of an adult bird. The eyes stand out on the dark plumage of the head, as if surrounded by yellow rings.

Of the features appearance reddish paws, pink short beak can be noted.

Lifestyle

Lesser white-fronted goose belongs to migratory species of birds. As soon as the snow begins to melt, the flocks of birds return to their native nests. To arrange nests, the goose chooses places hidden from human eyes in the thicket of bushes or mountainous areas.

For the lesser white-fronted goose, it is important that there is water near the habitat. The goose can often be found in small reservoirs, rivers, where he finds food.

Although the bird belongs to waterfowl species, it looks for plant food along the shores of lakes, rivers, and not in the water. Geese love to feast on:

young green herbs;
leaves, stems of trees;
sedge, horsetail;
cultivated plants in the fields - alfalfa, oats, wheat;
fruit.

Lesser White-fronted Goose loves to eat, grains, and fruits

During the period of plumage change, the bird's caution increases, since its body is not protected by feathers. An individual can escape from enemies by running or swimming.

At the end of summer, lesser white-fronted geese gather in flocks, training before a long flight. A special burden falls on the leader of the pack, flying in front of everyone. He must be enduring, strong.

The time to fly away for wintering comes for the Lesser White-fronted Goose in October. At this time, geese can be found on the banks of reservoirs, where a flock is resting after a long journey. During the day, the birds fly almost one and a half thousand kilometers.

In nature, Lesser White-fronted Goose lives from five to twelve years, in captivity - twice as long.

Reproduction

After returning to their homeland, the geese begins mating season... Families are created by males after courtship and mating games. Having achieved the love of a female, the goose prepares a nest with her, digging a hole and overlapping it with reed stalks, feathers, and moss.

Up to eight eggs of a light yellow tone are laid in a warm nest, which the goose carefully incubates. After 28 days, chicks appear, then care for them falls on the shoulders of both parents. To feed their offspring, they have to make short flights. After three months, the hatched chicks begin their independent life. They can already fly out of the nest, getting their own food.

Habitat

Geese choose hard-to-reach areas for living, where there are many grassy swamps, thickets of bushes, impassable paths.

Due to the pollution of water bodies, their population near them is declining

They meet the Lesser White-fronted Goose in the northern part of the European continent. Suitable for bird life in the forest-tundra of the Kola Peninsula, the Scandinavian Peninsulas.

Migratory flocks overwinter in the Black Sea region, in the Caspian Sea. They stop for the winter in Hungary, Romania, Greece, China, Azerbaijan.

Due to the drying up of rivers and lakes, poisoning of plants with chemicals near water bodies, the population of the Lesser White-fronted Goose is decreasing. There are only thirty copies left in Norway. Help to destroy birds and poachers. The activities of the Kanin Peninsula Reserve, a zoo in Moscow, are aimed at preserving this unique species.

Little-studied white-fronted geese are a rare and protected species belonging to the order of Anseriformes, the family of duck, and the genus of geese. The bird received an unusual nickname due to the drawn-out squeak "tu-yu-yu". Knows how to cackle in the same way as her relatives. Known under the names Lesser White-fronted Goose and Lesser Goose. This is a migratory bird that lives in the north of our country. He prefers to settle near water bodies, where he is looking for food.

general characteristics

In Latin, the name of the species sounds like Anser erythropus.

The dimensions of the lesser white-fronted goose: the body length reaches 60 cm, the wingspan is 1 m 30 cm. The weight is from 1.5 to 2.5 kg.

The plumage of the bird is colored dark gray, brown, white and yellow. The chest and sides are covered with dark feathers, and the belly is light.

Sexual dimorphism is expressed in external differences... The male's neck is a quarter longer than that of the female.

The Lesser White-fronted Goose is similar to its fellow white-fronted goose. Let's consider a number of distinctive features, which include:

steep forehead;
short, thick neck;
small head size;
yellow paws;
narrow, short pink beak;
long, but not wide wings;
white spot on the forehead;
the area around the eyes is covered with yellow feathers.

The geography of the species

Lesser white-fronted goose is a bird common in the north of Russia. The nesting sites of the species are located on the territory from the Kola Peninsula to the Far East. Geese settle in the tundra, forest-tundra and taiga. They choose areas with swampy bogs, where there are many dense bushes and thickets, as well as rocky areas.

The number of this species is decreasing, and in some regions it was included in the Red Book. The modern range of the lesser white-fronted goose is represented by separate fragments.

Lesser White-fronted Goose - migrant... In winter, it flies to the coast of the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Lives in China, Azerbaijan, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Croatia and other warm areas.

Features of migrations

Flights to warmer regions for wintering are carried out due to the search better conditions for living and food. Lesser white-fronted geese are mobile and can travel long distances. They fly quickly, although from the outside it seems that this is not so.

In the fall, there is a purposeful preparation for flights. Departure time is September, October. To train and prepare the young, the starshaki conduct training flights.

The birds form wedge-shaped flocks or line up diagonally. At the head are experienced and powerful leaders who know how to lead the pack. On their way to the south, the geese stop near water bodies for feeding and rest.

In early spring, geese return to their permanent nesting sites. Arrival time is from April to June.

Lifestyle and behavior

With a squeaky voice, geese signal to each other during long flights. In the same way, they communicate, looking for food for themselves. And during mating games, the sounds of males become coarser and louder. and females, on the contrary, are softer and quieter.

The goose feeds on plant and animal food: berries, fruits, seeds of cereal plants, grass, insects. The search for food takes place on land, although the bird is actively swimming in the water.

Lesser white-fronted geese run quickly and nimbly. They like to stand on one leg.

Geese molt once a year. To protect themselves from predators at this particularly vulnerable time, birds huddle in flocks and hide in thickets of tall grass and bushes.

The lowlands of rivers, lakes, streams, coastal reeds and sow thistles attract geese. In bushes, among stones and bumps, they arrange their nests and hatch chicks.

The nest of the Lesser White-fronted Goose is uncomplicated and inconspicuous - it is a small hole where the bird puts reed stalks, feathers and down.

Reproduction and rearing of offspring

During the breeding season, which lasts from April to July, these schooling birds begin to lead a solitary life. The male actively looks after the female. If his flirting ends in the favor of the female, then the couple begins to reproduce their own kind.

Together, the couple builds a nest and prepares to incubate.

Usually there are 4-6 eggs in a clutch. During the month, while the female incubates eggs, she becomes vulnerable and can become an easy prey for predators. The male zealously guards the chosen one and future offspring. In case of danger, it flies away from the nest, distracting enemies with a squeak.

The eggs are colored white and yellow. Chicks hatch after 25-28 days. Both parents are involved in their upbringing. Geese look after the offspring, teach them to swim in the water, find food, teach them to fly. But the most important task for parents is to ensure the safety of young goslings.

Chicks of brood-type Lesser White-fronted Goose - they are adapted to early independent life. They are born with downy feathers. Literally immediately they begin to run quickly and peck at food. By the age of 2, these are already full-fledged sexually mature birds, ready to reproduce offspring.

In nature, the lesser white-fronted goose lives for about 5-12 years. In captivity, these birds can live up to 30 years.

Human relationship

The factors affecting the decline in the number of the species are hunting in wintering grounds for geese, as well as frequent poisoning of birds with chemical substances.

One of the most common limiting factors is the destruction of habitual habitats: draining water bodies, cutting down shrubs.

This species is protected by humans. Geese are bred in the Moscow Zoo and in the reserve on the Kanin Peninsula in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

It might be helpful to read: