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Distribution
Barnacle Goose   Branta leucopsis
Common over large parts of Svalbard, but most numerous in the parts of west Spitsbergen with most vegetation. Most often seen in small flocks, but can occur in large flocks at favourable stopover sites shortly after arrival in spring and during moulting. The population is growing and now consists of more than 33,000 birds.   

Features: 58-70 cm. ♂=♀. Easily recognizable with its contrasting black and white plumage. The male (ca. 1.8 kg) is slightly larger than the female (ca. 1.5 kg). The young resemble the adults when fully fledged. The downy young are pale grey. Often calls in flight with a repeated one-syllable «ka» which can sound like barking. A noisy cackling when large flocks take flight.

Breeding: Breeds mainly in colonies on islands and in cliffs, inaccessible to the arctic fox. The eggs are laid in a hollow and lined with dirty-white down and remains of plants. Often much excrement at the nest hollow. Much-used nest hollows are surrounded by rich vegetation. A very scarce breeding species on Bjørnøya.


Recent observations
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  • Home
  • Hjem
  • Bird observations
    • Recent photos
  • Species
    • Regular breeding birds >
      • Pink-footed Goose
      • Barnacle Goose
      • Brent Goose
      • Common Eider
      • King Eider
      • Long-tailed Duck
      • Red-throated Diver
      • Northern Fulmar
      • Svalbard Rock Ptarmigan
      • Ringed Plover
      • Ruddy Turnstone
      • Dunlin
      • Purple Sandpiper
      • Grey Phalarope
      • Arctic Skua
      • Great Skua
      • Ivory Gull
      • Black-legged Kittiwake
      • Glaucous Gull
      • Great Black-backed Gull
      • Arctic Tern
      • Brünnich's Guillemot
      • Common Guillemot
      • Razorbill
      • Little Auk
      • Atlantic Puffin
      • Black Guillemot
      • Snow Bunting
    • Scarce breeding birds >
      • Common Teal
      • Northern Pintail
      • Common Scoter
      • Great Northern Diver
      • Northern Gannet
      • European Golden Plover
      • Sanderling
      • Red Knot
      • Red-necked Phalarope
      • Long-tailed Skua
      • Sabine's Gull
      • European Herring Gull
      • Lesser Black-backed Gull
      • Common Gull
      • Northern Wheatear
      • Redwing
      • Meadow Pipit
      • Lapland Bunting
    • Annual non-breeders >
      • Gyrfalcon
      • Snowy Owl
      • Pectoral Sandpiper
      • Common Redshank
      • Pomarine Skua
      • Ross's Gull
      • Black-headed Gull
      • Iceland Gull
      • Whooper Swan
      • Bean Goose
      • Greater White-fronted Goose
      • Greylag Goose
      • Snow Goose
      • Canada Goose
      • Cackling Goose
      • Eurasian Wigeon
      • Mallard
      • Tufted Duck
      • Common Goldeneye
      • Steller's Eider
      • Red-breasted Merganser
      • Eurasian Oystercatcher
      • Common Snipe
      • Whimbrel
      • Barn Swallow
      • White Wagtail
      • Bohemian Waxwing
      • Common Blackbird
      • Fieldfare
      • Song Trush
      • Common Redpoll
      • Arctic Redpoll
  • About
  • Contact
  • Fugleobservasjoner
    • Siste bilder
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    • Vanlige hekkefugler >
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