Geese

From the geese you can spot in your local park pond to geese who migrate 3000 miles to spend the winter with us on the coast, the Solent has an array of different geese species to see. Geese are typically distinguished from ducks by their longer necks. They can be seen (and heard!) in large flocks around our coastline using a vast range of habitats from beaches to farmers’ fields.

Barnacle goose

I am a sociable bird with a distinctive white face and belly. Unlike the similar looking Canada goose, I have no brown colouring at all on my feathers. I feed on roots, stems, leaves, and seeds – very healthy!

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Canada goose

My most recognisable features are my large size and my long, black neck with the distinctive white “chinstrap”. You will often hear me in a honking flock as we fly overhead in a “V” formation.

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Dark-bellied brent goose

My favourite food is seagrass, which grows in the sea. You can see me “bottoms-up” in the water feeding on this tasty plant just like a duck. When the eelgrass runs out I move onto fields to eat the grass.

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Greylag goose

While we are indistinguishable in appearance, we greylags can be separated into two populations: the resident geese, who are fairly tame and found mostly in the south, and the migratory Iceland greylags, wilder and found mostly in the north.

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