BIRDS OF ICELAND : Anser anser, Greylag Goose

Anser anser; Greylag Geese are common in lowland regions where they breed in marshy areas. One can often see them feeding in meadows, especially in spring before breeding starts. Another Iceland breeding goose is the Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) which breeds mainly in highland oasis areas. The easiest way to tell them apart is the dark brown head and a much lighter neck in the pink-footed goose where the grey-lag does not have this feature. Other geese species are passing migrants between Canada/Greenland and Europe (British Isles). These are the white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons: much like grey-lag but has a very characteristic white base along the beak), the barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis: black on top and front with a very white face) and the brent goose (Branta bernicla: like barnacle but smaller and dark face with a small white collar in the neck).