Numbers and distribution of wild geese in The Netherlands, 1979-1984

Abstract

This paper deals with the numbers of wild geese in The Netherlands during the period 1979-84. This period comprises four mild winters and one cold winter, 1981-2. The cold resulted in a higher number of both Bean Goose Anser fabalis subspecies, a lower number of Dark-bellied Brent Geese Branta b. bernicla and an influx of small but unusual numbers of Light-bellied Brent Geese B. b. hrota. Moreover all other wintering species of geese tended to shift to the snow-free southwestern, and mildest, part of the country during the cold spell. When compared with the previous five-year period the four Anser species (Greylag A. anser, Whitefront A. albifrons, Bean and Pinkfoot A. brachyrhynchus) have further increased by 50-80%, whereas the two Branta species showed an increase of 13% in the Barnacle Goose B. leucopsis and 39% in the Brent.