Saving wetlands for wildlife & people
Saving wetlands for wildlife & people
|
Waterbird MonitoringLatest NewsIntegrated Waterbird
MonitoringGoose & Swan MonitoringPartnership documentsCapture & MarkingWeBSI-WeBSIndicators and AssessmentsSurveysAbundanceMute Swan CensusInternational Swan CensusIcelandic-breeding Goose CensusGreenland White-fronted Goose CensusNorthwest Scotland Greylag Goose SurveyScottish Greylag Goose SurveyUK-breeding Greylag Goose SurveyNaturalised Goose SurveyInternational Census of Greenland Barnacle GeeseAll Ireland Light-bellied Brent Goose CensusAge AssessmentPast SurveysGetting InvolvedResourcesFor FieldworkersFor Local OrganisersCUDIData RequestsSpecies AccountsMute SwanBewick's SwanWhooper SwanBean GooseTaigaTundraPink-footed GooseGreater White-fronted GooseEuropeanGreenlandGreylag GooseIcelandBritishBarnacle GooseGreenlandSvalbardBrent GooseDark-belliedCanadian Light-belliedEast Atlantic Light-belliedNon-native SpeciesReports & NewslettersPartnersContact Us 
|
|
Background
The Taiga Bean Goose originates from the taiga zone of Scandinavia and western Russia, at least as far as the Ural Mountains. It winters predominantly in southern Sweden, Denmark and, to a lesser extent, in northern Germany and Poland. Some birds from more eastern breeding areas are thought to migrate through the Baltic States to reach Poland and Germany, instead of passing through the stopover sites in southern Sweden. Small numbers also visit western Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK. There are just two regularly used sites supporting more than 50 birds, the Yare Marshes, Norfolk, and the Slamannan Plateau, Falkirk District. They are believed, however, to have been abundant in historical times, particularly in Scotland, although some uncertainty exists over their former status because of problems with identification. Because of its importance for wintering Bean Geese, the Slamannan Plateau was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and as a Special Protection Area (SPA) in 2008. The Yare Valley is also similarly protected. Outside the UK, uncontrolled hunting and habitat loss are the main concerns. The feeding ecology of Taiga Bean Geese has been studied principally in southern Sweden (e.g. Markgren 1963, Nilsson & Persson 1991). Stubbles are highly favoured during autumn, with cereals and grasses preferred later in winter. Waste crops, particularly sugar beet, are also used when available. Regular counts (usually monthly, but sometimes more frequent) have been made annually at the Slamannan Plateau by the Bean Goose Action Group since the mid 1980s. Regular counts have been made at the Yare Valley since the 1960s; more recently, monthly counts are made during winter by the RSPB. Age assessments have recently been instigated at both of these sites, although the phenology of this population in the UK makes data collection logistically difficult.
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
© Copyright 2009 WWT | ||||||||||||||
