Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons

>> GENERAL >>>>>

– medium-sized goose, smaller than Greylag Goose
– diurnal/nocturnal migrant
– migrates in small to large flocks in formation
– regularly mixed with other geese
– very vocal

>> VISUAL ID >>>>>

BIF217_MPU_PMA7170_110225_gwfgoo_1W_K2_havelland
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, 2CY
BIF0217, 25/02/2011, Havelland, Germany, Mathias Putze

BIF218_MPU_PMA8145_110225_gwfgoo_AD_1W_havelland
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons,  2CY, AD
BIF0218, 25/02/2011, Havelland, Germany, Mathias Putze

BIF219_MPU_PMA7603110225_gwfgoo_AD_havelland
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons AD
BIF0219, 25/02/2011, Havelland, Germany, Mathias Putze

BIF220_MPU_PMA7116_110225_gwfgoo_flock_havelland
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, AD
BIF0220, 25/02/2011, Havelland, Germany, Mathias Putze

BIF221_MPU_I1Q0257_121031_tbgoo-AD-JUV_gwfgoo-AD_mixed-flock_nuthe-nieplitz
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, AD
Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris, AD, possible 1CY

BIF0221, 31/10/2012, Nuthe-Nieplitz-Niederung, Germany, Mathias Putze


Greylag Goose Anser a. anser
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
BIF2796, 19/10/2017, North Sea, Offshore, Roland Neumann

BIF222_MPU_I8Z5360_100104_tbgoo_gwfgoo_mixed-flock_untere-havelniederung
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons
Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris

BIF0222, 04/01/2010, Untere Havelniederung, Germany, Mathias Putze


Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons
BIF1677, 15/03/2017, Kühlungsborn, Germany, Roland Neumann

>> ACOUSTIC ID >>>>>

– a variety of different calls in flight and during migration
– all calls are highly variable, different transitional forms exist
– (gradual) differences between sexes and age classes likely
– two common call groups during migration: honks and squeals
– honks and squeals with regular disharmonic partials and voice breaks
– the modulation of honks is very variable
– calls can be monosyllabic to polysyllabic
– short calls (chuckle) when irritated or disturbed (observer!)
– chuckles uttered singly or in series


– overview –

– detail –
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, flight call (honk)
BIF3661, 18/02/2017, Cuxhaven, Germany, Patrick Franke


– detail –
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, flight call (squeal)
BIF3665, 25/10/2020, Linum, Germany, Patrick Franke


– overview –

– detail –
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, flight call (squeal, chuckle)
BIF3654, 10/11/2012, Großteich Torgau, Germany, Patrick Franke


– overview –

– detail –
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, flight call (squeal, honk)
BIF3655, 31/01/2014, Camperduin, Netherlands, Patrick Franke


– overview –

– detail –
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, flight call (squeal, honk, chuckle)
BIF3660, 05/02/2017, Werbeliner See, Germany, Patrick Franke


– overview –


– detail –
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, flight call (honk, squeal)
BIF3662, 06/10/2017, Flachwasserzone Mannhausen, Germany, Patrick Franke


– overview –

– detail –
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, flight call (honk, squeal)
Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris rossicus, flight call (HONK)

BIF3658, 04/11/2014, Flachwasserzone Mannhausen, Germany, Patrick Franke
– Tundra Bean Goose in background


– overview –

– detail –
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser a. albifrons, flight call (honk, squeal)
Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris rossicus, flight call (HONK)

BIF3657, 28/03/2014, Werbeliner See, Germany, Patrick Franke
– mixed flock

>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>>

Pink-footed Goose
Greylag Goose
Tundra Bean Goose
Taiga Bean Goose
Lesser White-fronted Goose

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