Greylag Goose

The Greylag Goose is a large, heavy-bodied goose with an overall pale gray-brown plumage, a paler head and neck, and a stout, thick pink or orange bill (bill color varies by population, with western European birds typically showing pink bills and some eastern populations showing more orange). The legs are pink, and pale feather fringing on the back and wings creates a subtly barred appearance.

As the wild ancestor of most breeds of domestic goose, the Greylag Goose has a long history of association with humans, and its general shape and coloring will look familiar to anyone acquainted with farmyard geese.

Key field marks

• Large, bulky body with pale gray-brown plumage
• Stout, thick pink or orange bill
• Pink legs
• Pale barring on the back and wing coverts
• Pale, whitish leading edge to the wing visible in flight

Similar species

• Greater White-fronted Goose: Darker brownish-gray overall with a white face patch and black belly barring, both lacking in the Greylag Goose.

Greylag Geese breed widely across temperate Europe and Asia, using wetlands, lakes, and marshes bordered by open grassland or farmland for grazing.

Many northern and eastern populations are migratory, wintering farther south in milder wetlands and agricultural areas, while numerous resident (non-migratory) feral populations, descended in part from domestic stock, are established in parks and waterways across much of Europe.

Behavior

Greylag Geese are social, forming flocks outside the breeding season and often mixing with other goose species at shared feeding and roosting grounds. They form strong, long-lasting pair bonds and are attentive, protective parents.

Voice

A loud, resonant honking call, similar in tone and cadence to the familiar cackle of domestic farmyard geese, since domestic geese are descended from this species.

Feeding

They graze extensively on grasses and other vegetation, and feed on grain and root crops in agricultural fields, as well as aquatic plants in wetlands.

Nesting and breeding

Females nest on the ground near water, often well concealed in vegetation, laying 4-6 eggs; goslings are precocial and follow their parents to forage soon after hatching.