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[[Image:GWFGoose.JPG]] '''Common Name:''' Greater White-fronted Goose<br> '''Scientific Name:''' Anser albifrons '''Size:''' 25-32 inches (64–81 cm); '''Wingspan:''' 51-65 inches (130-165 cm) '''Habitat:''' North America, Europe and Asia, and winters further south and west in Europe. '''Status:''' Least Concern. '''Global population:''' Unknown amount of adult individuals. The overall population trend is uncertain. The North American midcontinent birds of the subspecies, ''A. a. gambeli'', which in 2010 had a fall population of about 710,000 birds—breeds from the Alaska North Slope across the western and central Canadian Arctic. The Pacific white-fronted goose of the American Pacific coast, which in 2010 numbered approximately 650,000 birds, and the tule geese, which are estimated to number 10,000 birds, nest in western Alaska. The midcontinent geese gather in early fall on the prairies of western Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta, spending several weeks feeding before heading to wintering areas near the Gulf of Mexico, into northern Mexico. The Pacific birds migrate south down the Pacific coast, staging primarily in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California and wintering, eventually, in California's Central Valley. The tule goose is somewhat rare and has been since the latter half of the 19th century, presumably it was affected by destruction of its wintering habitat due to human settlement. In the British Isles, two races overwinter: Greenland birds in Scotland and Ireland, and Russian birds in England and Wales. They gather on farmland at favored traditional sites, with a famous flock gathering at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, England. Greenland birds also overwinter in Ireland and from late September and through the winter months, Ireland is home to almost 50% of the Greenland population of white-fronted geese. ''A. a. albifrons'' and ''A. a. flavirostis'' are among the taxa to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. '''Diet:''' Submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation as well as insects and fish spawn. '''Nesting:''' They have bright orange legs and mouse-colored upper wing-coverts. As well as being larger than the lesser white-fronted goose, the greater white-fronted goose lacks the yellow eye-ring of that species, and the white facial blaze does not extend upwards so far as in Lesser. The male is typical larger in size, both sexes are similar in appearance—greyish brown birds with light grey breasts dappled with dark brown to black blotches and bars. Both males and females also have a pinkish bill and orange legs and feet. Weather conditions are a key factor in the annual breeding success of white-fronted geese. In the Arctic, the window of opportunity for nesting, incubating eggs, and raising a brood to flight state is open briefly, for about three months. Arriving in late May or early June, white-fronted geese begin departing for fall staging areas in early September. This means that a delayed snowmelt or late spring storm can significantly reduce the birds' reproductive success. '''Cool Facts:''' The greater white-fronted goose is more closely related to the smaller lesser white-fronted goose (''A. erythropus''). In Europe it has been known as simply "white-fronted goose"; in North America it is known as the greater white-fronted goose (or "greater whitefront"), and this name is also increasingly adopted internationally. It is named for the patch of white feathers bordering the base of its bill. But even more distinctive are the salt-and-pepper markings on the breast of adult birds, which is why the goose is colloquially called the "specklebelly" in North America. The greater white-fronted goose is divided into five subspecies. All these races are similar in plumage, differing only in size. The nominate subspecies ''A. a. albifrons'' breeds in the far north of Europe and Asia, and winters further south and west in Europe. Three other restricted-range races occur in northern North America: ''A. a. gambeli'' in interior northwest Canada, and wintering on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, slightly larger than the nominate form, Pacific white-fronted goose, ''A. a. frontalis'' and tule goose, ''A. a. elgasi'', in southwest Alaska, largest and longest-billed of all, both wintering in California. All these races are similar in plumage, differing only in size. The very distinct Greenland white-fronted goose, ''A. a. flavirostris'', breeding in western Greenland, is much darker overall, with only a very narrow white tip to the tail (broader on the other races), more black barring on its belly, and usually has an orange (not pink) bill. It winters in Ireland and western Scotland. Differences between ''A. a. albifrons'' and ''A. a. flavirostris'' birds: The appearance of European or Russian white-fronted geese, of the race ''albifrons'' and Greenland white-fronted geese, of the race ''flavirostris'', differ in a number of ways. Greenland white-fronted goose, in all plumages, looks darker and more 'oily-looking' than European white-fronted goose, both at rest and in flight. The following are the differences which apply to first-winter plumage: * The mantle and scapulars of ''flavirostris'' have narrow, indistinct pale fringes creating a uniform appearance to the birds' upperparts, whereas ''albifrons'' has noticeable whitish fringes creating obviously barred upperparts * The tertials of ''flavirostris'' have indistinct pale fringes, whereas these pale fringes are more noticeable on albifrons * The lesser- and median-upperwing-coverts of ''flavirostris'' have narrow, indistinct pale fringes, creating a rather uniform appearance of the wing, whereas on albifrons, these fringes are prominent and broad, creating wingbars * The greater-coverts of ''flavirostris'' are dark grey, with a narrow white tip, forming a narrow wing-bar; on albifrons they are blue-grey, with prominent white tips, forming a bold wing-bar * The flank-line is narrows and white on flavirostris, but broad and bright white on albifrons * The tail of ''flavirostris'' is dark brown, with a very narrow white tip and sides; that of ''albifrons'' is dark grey, and the white tip and sides are at least double the width of the corresponding areas on flavirostris * The bill of ''flavirostris'' is orange-yellow with a dark nail, compared with the bright pink bill of ''albifrons'' which has only a hint of dark on the nail; in addition the bill of ''flavirostris'' is longer and appears slimmer than that of ''albifrons'' The belly-barring on adult birds is on average more extensive on ''flavirostris'' than on ''albifrons'', but the individual variation in both forms renders this of limited use as an identification feature. The bill of adult Greenland white-fronts are also orange-yellow at the base, but can be more pinkish-yellow on the outer-half, thus close in color to European white-fronts; the color difference is more easily determined in dull, flat light rather than bright sunshine '''Found in Songbird Remix Waterfowl Volume 4: Geese, Loons, Grebes & Coots'''
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