BIRDS OF ICELAND pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrhynchus

Anser brachyrhynchus; the pink-footed goose is the second major breeding goose species on Iceland. Unlike the greylag goose this species breeds only in the highlands. It is an early breeder found in "oasis" areas of the barren highlands. The main breeding area is the marshes under the Hofsjökull glacial (the þjórsarver) but there are other highland marshes as well like the marshes at Hvannalindir North(-east) of the Vatnajökull. For the casual birder visiting Iceland observing their breeding grounds is not easy. The highland roads are closed during the breeding period. However, after the breeding period parents and chicks disperse to different areas and they can be seen. They resemble the greylag goose. The easiest way to tell them apart is the dark brown head and a much lighter neck and the short beak in the pink-footed goose where the grey-lag do. 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).

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