Barnacle Goose Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Barnacle Geese don’t actually eat barnacles. Their name comes from an erroneous medieval notion that these geese hatched from barnacles each autumn.

Barnacle Geese eat a lot of grass, and it passes through their system quickly. A study in the Netherlands found that wintering Barnacle Geese typically defecated 160 times a day.

Arctic-nesting Barnacle Geese introduce their chicks to extreme adventure at an early age. Goslings hatch in high cliff nests, almost immediately jump into the ocean, and swim ashore. They then follow their parents on a 10–25 km (6–15 mile) hike to reach a safe place to grow up. These dramatic departures from breeding colonies presumably reduce the risk of predation from polar bears, Arctic foxes, skuas, and large gulls.

Barnacle Goose sightings in eastern North America—usually along the Atlantic Coast from Newfoundland to Virginia—have been on the rise in the 21st century. These sightings are usually of single individuals mixed into Canada Goose flocks during migration or winter.

The oldest known wild Barnacle Goose lived 27 years.

Basic Description

Other Names