Lesser White-fronted Goose

Lesser White- Fronted Goose
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Genus: Anser Species: erythropus
Binomial name
Anser erythropus

The Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus) is a goose closely related to the larger White-fronted Goose, A. albifrons.

It breeds in northernmost Asia, but it is a scarce breeder in Europe. There is a re-introduction scheme in Fennoscandia.

The Lesser White-fronted Goose winters further south in Europe and is a very rare vagrant to Great Britain.

The two white-fronted goose species differ little other than in size (the lesser is not much bigger than a mallard Anas platyrhynchus) but both may be readily distinguished from the Greylag Goose by their bright orange legs and their mouse-coloured upper wing-coverts. The Greylag Goose has the bill and legs flesh-coloured, and the upper wing-coverts of a bluish-grey.

Both white-front species have a very conspicuous white face and broad black bars which cross the belly.

Adult Lesser White-fronted Geese, as well as being smaller than White-fronted Geese, have an obvious yellow eye-ring, and the white facial blaze goes up to the crown.

Lesser White-fronted Goose is considered an endangered species.\n