Lesser white-fronted goose

Lesser white-fronted goose
Anser erythropus, Linnaeus, 1758

The lesser white-fronted goose is one of the smallest geese in Europe. Like all water birds, it prefers to stay in the proximity of rivers and lakes. It flies over Europe twice a year: at the turn of April and May, and between September and November. Drakes and ducks look alike. This goose nests on the ground. It lays 4–5 eggs in May or June. The female incubates the eggs and after the chicks hatch, the male joins in taking care of the young. When it wants to land, the lesser white-fronted goose doesn’t gradually slow down, but rather it takes a nosedive at a high speed and only decelerates just before it reaches the ground (or water surface).
Distribution: northern Eurasia; in winter: the Balkans, the Black Sea region and Central Asia

male / female
body length: 53–66 cm
wingspan: 120–135 cm
body mass: 1,95–2,3 kg / 1,4–2,15 kg