The Barnacle Goose

Class: Birds

Order: Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae

Weight: 1-2.5 kg

Height: about 50-60 cm

Body length: 60-70 cm

Color: It has a two-tone coloration of feathers: black on top, white underneath. There are gray stripes on the sides of the body (more pronounced in males).

Age of sexual maturity: 2 years

Gestation period: 24-26 days

Lifespan: up to 25 years

Habitat: The Barnacle Goose nests on the northeastern coast of Greenland, and on islands such as Spitsbergen, Vaigach, and Novaya Zemlya.

Diet: Moss, plant stems, sedge, tree leaves, Arctic willow, and in winter, creeping clover.

Did you know?

• In the 16th century, people did not know how the Barnacle Goose reproduced. They naively believed the myth that the goose emerged from wood that fell into the salty waters of the seas, rather than through natural reproduction.
• In the Middle Ages, due to its natural remoteness from humans and lack of study, the Barnacle Goose was considered a bird of unearthly origin, so its meat was permitted to be eaten during Lent.
• During molting periods, waterfowl lose their ability to fly.
• When feeding, this bird emits gurgling sounds, as if inviting other relatives to the table.