Wildlife of Britain

Barnacle Goose: The Arctic Traveller of Britain’s Winter Wetlands The Barnacle Goose is one of the most striking winter visitors to the British Isles. With its crisp black-and-white plumage, compact shape and noisy, conversational calls, this small Arctic goose has become a familiar sight along coastal marshes, estuaries and wet grasslands during the colder months.  Although it appears elegant and calm while grazing in large flocks, the species survives one of the harshest annual cycles in the bird world, breeding in remote Arctic landscapes before undertaking long migrations south to wintering grounds in Britain and north-west Europe. Taxonomy of the Barnacle Goose Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Subfamily: Anserinae Tribe: Anserini Genus: Branta Species: Branta leucopsis The barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) belongs to the waterfowl family Anatidae, which includes ducks, swans and geese.  Within this family, it is grouped a...