Anser Anser Research Articles

Learning from long time series of harvest and population data: Swedish lessons for European goose management

Goose management in Europe is faced by multiple challenges, as some species are declining and in need of conservation actions, while other populations have become very abundant, resulting in calls for increased harvest. Sweden has long-term series of harvest data and counts of breeding and autumn-staging geese. We used national data (indices) for greylag goose, bean goose and Canada goose to study shifts in temporal trends and correlative patterns, and to infer possible causal links between harvest and population trends. Our study provides an opportunity to guide management given the data collected within the present monitoring, as well as to suggest improvements for future data collection. The populations of greylag and Canada geese increased in Sweden 1979–2018, but this long-term trend included a recent decrease in the latter species. Bean goose breeding index decreased, whilst staging numbers and harvest varied with no clear long-term trend. For Canada goose, our analysis suggests that harvest may affect population growth negatively. For bean goose and greylag goose we could not detect any effect of harvest on autumn counts the following year. We find that the present data and analysis of coherence may suffice as basis for decisions for the current management situation in Sweden with its rather unspecific goals for greylag (very abundant) and Canada goose (invasive species) populations. However, for management of bean geese, with international concerns of over harvest, data lack crucial information. For future management challenges, with more explicit goals, for all goose species we advocate information that is more precise. Data such as hunting effort, age-structure of goose populations and mark–recapture data to estimate survival and population size, is needed to feed predictive population models guiding future Swedish and European goose management.

The intestinal microbial composition in Greylag geese differs with steatosis induction mode: spontaneous or induced by overfeeding

BackgroundRelationships between microbial composition and steatosis are being extensively studied in mammals, and causal relations have been evidenced. In migratory birds the liver can transiently store lipids during pre-migratory and migratory phases, but little is known about the implications of the digestive microbiota in those mechanisms. The Landaise greylag goose (Anser anser) is a good model to study steatosis in migratory birds as it is domesticated, but is still, from a genetic point of view, close to its wild migratory ancestor. It also has a great ingestion capacity and a good predisposition for hepatic steatosis, whether spontaneous or induced by conventional overfeeding. The conventional (overfeeding) and alternative (spontaneous steatosis induction) systems differ considerably in duration and feed intake level and previous studies have shown that aptitudes to spontaneous steatosis are very variable. The present study thus aimed to address two issues: (i) evaluate whether microbial composition differs with steatosis-inducing mode; (ii) elucidate whether a digestive microbial signature could be associated with variable aptitudes to spontaneous liver steatosis.ResultsPerformances, biochemical composition of the livers and microbiota differed considerably in response to steatosis stimulation. We namely identified the genus Romboutsia to be overrepresented in birds developing a spontaneous steatosis in comparison to those submitted to conventional overfeeding while the genera Ralstonia, Variovorax and Sphingomonas were underrepresented only in birds that did not develop a spontaneous steatosis compared to conventionally overfed ones, birds developing a spontaneous steatosis having intermediate values. Secondly, no overall differences in microbial composition were evidenced in association with variable aptitudes to spontaneous steatosis, although one OTU, belonging to the Lactobacillus genus, was overrepresented in birds having developed a spontaneous steatosis compared to those that had not.ConclusionsOur study is the first to evaluate the intestinal microbial composition in association with steatosis, whether spontaneous or induced by overfeeding, in geese. Steatosis induction modes were associated with distinct digestive microbial compositions. However, unlike what can be observed in mammals, no clear microbial signature associated with spontaneous steatosis level was identified.

Dramatic shifts in intestinal fungal community between wintering Hooded Crane and Domestic Goose

BackgroundThe intestinal microbiota play remarkable roles in maintaining the health of their hosts. Recent studies focused on gut bacterial diversity in birds and poultry, with little information about the ecological functions of their gut fungal community.MethodsThe high-throughput sequencing was applied to compare intestinal fungal community structure between Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) and Domestic Goose (Anser anser domesticus), and infer the potential pathogens of each species at Shengjin Lake of China.ResultsIntestinal fungal alpha diversity was higher in Hooded Crane than Greylag Goose (Anser anser). Gut fungal community composition showed dramatic shifts between the two species. Hooded Cranes mainly eat Vallisneria natans and Potamogeton malaianus, while artificial hurl food (i.e., paddy) was the main food resource for Domestic Geese, suggesting that the variations in fungal community might be induced by different diets between the two hosts. Two enriched genera (i.e., Acremonium and Rhodotorula) which could increase host’s digestion were detected in guts of Hooded Cranes. In addition, there were 42 pathogenic amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), 17% of which shared in Hooded Crane and Greylag Goose. The Hooded Crane had higher gut fungal pathogenic diversity and abundance relative to Greylag Goose.ConclusionsThe study demonstrated that divergence in intestinal fungal community structure might be induced by different diets between wintering Hooded Crane and Domestic Goose. Hooded Crane might rely more on their gut fungal taxa to acquire nutrients from indigestible food resources. Our study also implied that more research should focus on intestinal pathogens in wild birds and domestic poultry, as they might increase risk of disease in other animals, even human beings. The degree of cross infection in pathogens among wild birds and sympatric poultry should be clearly verified in future study.

Alien birds in Argentina: pathways, characteristics and ecological roles

Currently, there is a consensus that biological invasions are one of the most important factors in global change due to their ability to modify structures and functions of many communities. The aim of this work was to provide an exhaustive assessment of the alien birds of Argentina, their routes of entry, impacts, and a synthesis of their attributes. We reviewed and compiled data from a variety of sources and databases on alien birds in Argentina and provide a summary for ten species that had been introduced. Introductions occurred in two peaks, one at the end of the nineteenth century and the other during the 1990s. Most of species entered through the Pampas, Espinal, Bosque and Estepas Patagonica ecoregions between 34° and 50° south. Reasons for these introductions include game birds (Silver Pheasant Lophura nycthemera, California Quail Callipepla californica), domestic consumption (Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, Graylag Goose Anser anser, Rock pigeon Columba livia), pets (European Greenfinch Chloris chloris, European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis, European Starling Sturnus vulgaris, Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus, House Sparrow Passer domesticus). These species occupy ecoregions similar to those of their origins, however most have experienced an expansion in the range of ecological conditions within their new habitats. These species provide opportunity for understanding the dynamics of invasions since they provide a diversity in their ecology and environmental needs.

Avian influenza overview August – December 2020

Between 15 August and 7 December 2020, 561highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus detections were reported in 15EU/EEA countries and UK in wild birds, poultry andcaptive birds, with Germany (n=370), Denmark (n=65), the Netherlands (n=57) being the most affected countries.The majority of the detections have been reported in wild birds(n=510), primarily in barnacle goose, greylag goose, andEurasian wigeon. Raptors have also been detected infected, particularly common buzzard. The majority of the birds had been found dead or moribund,however, there are also reports ofHPAI virus infection in apparently healthy ducks or geese.A total of 43 HPAI outbreaks were notified in poultry;with signs of avian influenza infection being observed in at least 33 outbreaks;the most likely source of infection was indirect contact with wild birds. Three HPAI virus subtypes, A(H5N8) (n=518), A(H5N5) (n=17) and A(H5N1) (n=6),and four different genotypes were identified, suggesting the occurrence of multiple virus introductions into Europe.The reassortant A(H5N1) virus identified in EU/EEA countries has acquired gene segments from low pathogenic viruses and is not related to A(H5N1) viruses of e.g. clade 2.3.2.1c causing human infections outside of Europe. As the autumn migration of wild waterbirds to their wintering areasin Europe continues, and given the expected local movements of these birds, there is still a high risk of introduction andfurther spread ofHPAI A(H5) viruses within Europe.The risk of virus spread from wild birds to poultry is high and Member States should enforce in ‘high risk areas’ of their territories the measures provided for in Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1136.Detection of outbreaks in breeder farms in Denmark, the Netherlands and United Kingdom, highlight also the risk of introduction via contaminated materials (bedding/straw) and equipment.Maintaining high and sustainable surveillance and biosecurityparticularly in high‐risk areas is of utmost importance. Two human cases due to zoonoticA(H5N1) and A(H9N2) avian influenza virus infection were reportedduring the reporting period. The risk for the general population as well as travel‐related imported human cases are assessed as very low.

Avian influenza overview - update on 19 November 2020, EU/EEA and the UK.

Since 16 October 2020, outbreaks ofhighly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruseshavebeen reported inseveral EU/EEAcountries –Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Swedenas well asin the United Kingdom.As of 19 November,12pm, 302 HPAI A(H5) detections have been reported, with the majority of the detections referring to wild birds (n=281), and a few related to outbreaks in poultry (n=18) and captive birds (n=3). Most of the detections in wild birds were in wild waterbirds,being barnacle goose the most affected species (n=110), followed by greylag goose (n=47), Eurasian wigeon (n=32),mallard (n=14), and common buzzard (n=13).ThreeHPAI virus subtypes were identified, A(H5N8), A(H5N5) and A(H5N1), with A(H5N8) being the most reported subtype (n=284). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the viruses evolved from a single progenitor virus thatwent through multiple reassortment events. Based on the ongoing autumn migration of wild waterbirds to their wintering areas in Europe, there is a continued risk of further introduction of HPAI A(H5) viruses into Europe. Furthermore, given the expected movements of both migratory, and resident wild birds in Europe during winter, there is a high risk of further spread of HPAI A(H5) viruses within Europe. No genetic markers indicating adaptation to mammals have been identified in the viruses analysed so far,andno human infection due to avian influenza viruses detected in the recent outbreakshas been reported. For that reason,the risk to the general population remains very low.However,following the precautionary principle, people should avoid touching sick or dead birds unprotected to minimise any potential risk.

Pacific Biosciences assembly with Hi-C mapping generates an improved, chromosome-level goose genome.

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe domestic goose is an economically important and scientifically valuable waterfowl; however, a lack of high-quality genomic data has hindered research concerning its genome, genetics, and breeding. As domestic geese breeds derive from both the swan goose (Anser cygnoides) and the graylag goose (Anser anser), we selected a female Tianfu goose for genome sequencing. We generated a chromosome-level goose genome assembly by adopting a hybrid de novo assembly approach that combined Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time sequencing, high-throughput chromatin conformation capture mapping, and Illumina short-read sequencing.FindingsWe generated a 1.11-Gb goose genome with contig and scaffold N50 values of 1.85 and 33.12 Mb, respectively. The assembly contains 39 pseudo-chromosomes (2n = 78) accounting for ∼88.36% of the goose genome. Compared with previous goose assemblies, our assembly has more continuity, completeness, and accuracy; the annotation of core eukaryotic genes and universal single-copy orthologs has also been improved. We have identified 17,568 protein-coding genes and a repeat content of 8.67% (96.57 Mb) in this genome assembly. We also explored the spatial organization of chromatin and gene expression in the goose liver tissues, in terms of inter-pseudo-chromosomal interaction patterns, compartments, topologically associating domains, and promoter-enhancer interactions.ConclusionsWe present the first chromosome-level assembly of the goose genome. This will be a valuable resource for future genetic and genomic studies on geese.

Site selection by geese in a suburban landscape.

BackgroundIn European and North American cities geese are among the most common and most visible large herbivores. As such, their presence and behaviour often conflict with the desires of the human residents. Fouling, noise, aggression and health concerns are all cited as reasons that there are “too many”. Lethal control is often used for population management; however, this raises questions about whether this is a sustainable strategy to resolve the conflict between humans and geese when, paradoxically, it is humans that are responsible for creating the habitat and often providing the food and protection of geese at other times. We hypothesise that the landscaping of suburban parks can be improved to decrease its attractiveness to geese and to reduce the opportunity for conflict between geese and humans.MethodsUsing observations collected over five years from a botanic garden situated in suburban Belgium and data from the whole of Flanders in Belgium, we examined landscape features that attract geese. These included the presence of islands in lakes, the distance from water, barriers to level flight and the size of exploited areas. The birds studied were the tadornine goose Alopochen aegyptiaca (L. 1766) (Egyptian goose) and the anserine geese, Branta canadensis (L. 1758) (Canada goose), Anser anser (L. 1758) (greylag goose) and Branta leucopsis (Bechstein, 1803) (barnacle goose). Landscape modification is a known method for altering goose behaviour, but there is little information on the power of such methods with which to inform managers and planners.ResultsOur results demonstrate that lakes with islands attract more than twice as many anserine geese than lakes without islands, but make little difference to Egyptian geese. Furthermore, flight barriers between grazing areas and lakes are an effective deterrent to geese using an area for feeding. Keeping grazing areas small and surrounded by trees reduces their attractiveness to geese.ConclusionThe results suggest that landscape design can be used successfully to reduce the number of geese and their conflict with humans. However, this approach has its limitations and would require humans to compromise on what they expect from their landscaped parks, such as open vistas, lakes, islands and closely cropped lawns.

Long-Term Reciprocal Gene Flow in Wild and Domestic Geese Reveals Complex Domestication History.

Hybridization has frequently been observed between wild and domestic species and can substantially impact genetic diversity of both counterparts. Geese show some of the highest levels of interspecific hybridization across all bird orders, and two of the goose species in the genus Anser have been domesticated providing an excellent opportunity for a joint study of domestication and hybridization. Until now, knowledge of the details of the goose domestication process has come from archaeological findings and historical writings supplemented with a few studies based on mitochondrial DNA. Here, we used genome-wide markers to make the first genome-based inference of the timing of European goose domestication. We also analyzed the impact of hybridization on the genome-wide genetic variation in current populations of the European domestic goose and its wild progenitor: the graylag goose (Anser anser). Our dataset consisted of 58 wild graylags sampled around Eurasia and 75 domestic geese representing 14 breeds genotyped for 33,527 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Demographic reconstruction and clustering analysis suggested that divergence between wild and domestic geese around 5,300 generations ago was followed by long-term genetic exchange, and that graylag populations have 3.2–58.0% admixture proportions with domestic geese, with distinct geographic patterns. Surprisingly, many modern European breeds share considerable (> 10%) ancestry with the Chinese domestic geese that is derived from the swan goose Anser cygnoid. We show that the domestication process can progress despite continued and pervasive gene flow from the wild form.

A longitudinal study of the effects of trees, geese and avian predators on breeding wader meadow birds: the case of the Demmerik polder, the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, breeding populations of wader meadow birds are in sharp decline. One possible cause is that breeding areas are becoming less open because of tall trees and other factors. The effects of tree lines are generally studied by means of transversal studies spanning a short period of time. We report on a longitudinal field study from 1993 to 2010 into the breeding densities of Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) and Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) in the Demmerik polder, the Netherlands. One part of this polder, a nature reserve, has an older tree line, while two agricultural parts are divided by a newly developing tree line. As the tree line in the agricultural parts was developing, foraging families of Greylag Goose (Anser anser) showed a strong increase in only one of these parts during the breeding season. During the same period, the density of avian predators also increased in the whole polder. Analysis shows waders avoid trees in both situations: with an existing tree line (a static situation) and with a growing tree line (a dynamic situation). We investigated the possible role of geese and avian predators in explaining the decline in density of breeding wader meadow birds, by systematic comparison of several different models. In these models, the effect of the growing tree line has the greatest impact on breeding meadow birds. Models with geese describe the trends of breeding wader meadow birds better than those including avian predators, but since these two variables, geese and avian predators, are confounded, no definitive conclusion can yet be drawn. Potential explanations of and functional mechanisms behind the strong decline in breeding meadow bird populations in this area are discussed.

Bird Bone Remains from Two Medieval Settlements in Debrecen (Eastern Hungary)

This paper presents results on three medieval avian bone assemblages found at Debrecen-Monostor-erdő and Debrecen-Tócó-part, respectively. Domestic chicken yielded most of the bird remains to evidence the exploitation of adult birds for egg production and flock maintenance in particular. In addition, feather harvesting and fat production could have been the target of goose (and possibly duck) husbandry. Although the goose bone sizes resemble the greylag goose, the keeping of an unimproved form of domestic goose rather than the hunting of the wild ancestor is suggested by the structure of the assemblage and the presence of healed bones. Wild birds seem to have been rarely consumed by the settlers of the two villages, but the feathers or wings or carcasses of diurnal birds of prey and crows may have been used for special purposes. Either killed for their symbolic meaning or only persecuted for protecting the backyard animals, the red kite (Milvus milvus) and the hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) represent new species for the medieval avifauna of Hungary, similarly to the Northern shoveler (Anas clypeata) and the Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) that could have been hunted in the marshy environment provided by the Tócó creek. Moreover, the use of trained saker falcon(Falco cherrug)for hawking cannot be excluded either. In addition to the exploitation of birds for the abovementioned goods and values, two needle cases made from goose bones evidence the utilization of their skeletal parts as raw material for producing artefacts as well.

Stable Isotope Analysis Supports First Occurrence of a Wild-Origin Greylag Goose (Anser anser) to Make Landfall in North America

In North America, the Greylag Goose (Anser anser) has been added to the list of vagrant North American waterfowl based on a bird observed in 2005 on a stationary oil ship in the Atlantic Ocean 167 km southeast of the island of Newfoundland, and on single birds observed in Connecticut and Nova Scotia in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Here, feather and toe-claw hydrogen isotope values (δ2H) linked to spatial hydrological hydrogen isotope patterns are used to demonstrate the origin of the first probable wild-origin Greylag Goose known to make landfall in North America. The bird in question, shot by hunters on Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, in December 2007 and subsequently deposited at the New Brunswick Museum (specimen NBM 11143), was identified as Anser anser and potentially a wild-origin bird. Isotope data indicates the bird is of probable Greenlandic origin. This supports and pre-dates recent (2014) reports of the Greenlandic molting of Icelandic Greylag Geese, until recently believed to molt exclusively on Iceland. Greylag Geese recorded in North America appear to be part of a pattern of increasing numbers and diversity of geese of northeastern Atlantic origin detected in eastern North America in recent decades.

Parakeet Hemoglobin - Its Crystal Structure and Oxygen Affinity in Relation to Some Avian Hemoglobins.

"Avians" often show efficient oxygen management to meet the demands of their metabolism. Hemoglobin, a transporter protein consists of four non-covalently linked subunits contain haem binding hydrophobic pocket serves as a site of allosteric cooperativity. The physiology and anatomy of both mammals and avian are functionally different, in birds, the respiratory system formed by small air sacs that serve as tidal ventilation for the lungs and have no significant exchange across their cells. Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) a tropical and non-migrating species and it is easily adapted to living in disturbed habitat. The sequence analysis reveals that α and β chain of parakeet hemoglobin highly similar grey lag goose and bar headed goose hemoglobin respectively. Thus it has been tempted us to study in to analyzing the sequence and structural comparison of this hemoglobin to find out the physiological capabilities of parakeet hemoglobin. The structure determination studies of parakeet hemoglobin by X-ray diffraction. The sequence and structure are compared with goose, chicken and human Hb, emphasizing the role of amino acids in the subunit contacts that facilitate survival by low oxygen demand. The Hb was purified and crystallized by hanging drop vapor diffusion method using poly ethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 and sodium phosphate buffer. X-ray diffracted data set was collected at 3Å resolution, the data was processed in Automar and molecular replacement, refinements, model building was carried out in CCP4i program package. The final refined model was deposited in protein data bank with accession id 2zfb. The tertiary structure of Parakeet Hb is compared with the met form of BHG Hb (1c40) and oxy form of GLG (1faw) and oxy form of human Hbs (1hho). Superimposing parakeet Hb α1β1 subunit with 'R' state human Hb shows an r.m.s.d of 0.98 Å and for BHG and GLG Hb, the r.m.s.d shows 0.72 and 0.61 Å. The replacement of α115Asp in parakeet Hb as against the α115Glu in human Hb results in the movement of GH corners. The amino acid proline at α50 present only in Parakeet Hb and Chicken HbD and not present in any other avian family which includes human Hb. The residue α78Thr located in EF corner loop region, which slightly diverge when superimposing with human and BHG Hb and also replacement of α113Asn present only in Parakeet Hb placed near the FG helix corner. The present study describes the structure determination of parakeet hemoglobin and its structural features to understand its oxygen affinity characteristics. The crystals were obtained by buffered low-salt conditions, like those of chicken HbD, carbonmonoxy and cyanomet human Hb. The present study reveals several interesting and unique modifications in the finer aspects of the quaternary structure of parakeet Hb, which are involved in oxygen affinity characteristics and the α1β1 subunit contacts. Crystallization of parakeet Hb with allosteric effectors like Inositol pentaphosphate may bring further understanding of the influence of physiological and environmental factors on the quaternary structure.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VISIBLE AUTUMN MIGRATIONS OF WATERFOWL IN NATIONAL PARK «PRYPIAT-STOKHID» IN 2012-2017

CHARACTERISTICS OF VISIBLE AUTUMN MIGRATIONS OF WATERFOWL IN NATIONAL PARK «PRYPIAT-STOKHID» IN 2012-2017

Geographic origin of migratory birds based on stable isotope analysis: the case of the greylag goose (Anser anser) wintering in Camargue, southern France

Proper delineation of flyways is a prerequisite for adequate management of migratory birds. The implementation of coordinated international management for greylag goose (Anser anser) is currently underway in Europe for the north-west/south-west (NW/SW) population. Some uncertainty remained as to whether greylags wintering in Camargue, Southern France, belonged to this population and bred in Norway, Sweden and Finland, or rather originated from the Central European population, especially since most neck collar observations were of birds ringed in the Czech Republic. Stable hydrogen isotope (δ2H) analyses of feathers from 147 individuals hunted or trapped during winter in Camargue provide some insight into this question and suggest north-central Europe as a more likely area of origin. This indicates that greylags wintering along the Mediterranean coast may be largely separate from the birds of the NW/SW European population breeding in Fennoscandia, although some individuals may also come from the Polish or German regions of the NW/SW flyway, since the combined ringing and stable isotope analyses suggest these birds are mostly breeding and moulting in an isotopic area consistent with the Czech Republic, Poland and northern Germany. Earlier studies show birds wintering in other French regions rather originate from Sweden and Norway. These results should be considered for the management plan currently being developed for greylag goose in Europe. More generally, they question whether birds from two distinct populations/flyways should be applied similar or potentially different management plans within a given country.

Relating national levels of crop damage to the abundance of large grazing birds: Implications for management

Abstract Populations of large grazing birds have increased in Europe during the past five decades, raising conflicts between conservation and farming interests. Managing these conflicts requires knowledge about the currently unknown relationship between population sizes and crop damage levels. We analysed unique data on reported, inspected and compensated crop damage caused by geese, swans and cranes together with data from population surveys in Sweden to investigate how bird abundance is related to damage levels at the national scale between 2000 and 2015. Over the study period, the annual number of damage reports, yield loss and costs for compensation increased. These crop damage levels were positively related to national population indices of common crane, barnacle and greylag goose. The shape of these relationships varied between species and encompassed considerable uncertainty. However, on a year‐to‐year basis (detrended data) we found no evident association between damage levels and bird numbers. Yield loss and compensation costs per reported damage did not increase with higher population indices of greylag goose, but they did so for barnacle goose. Synthesis and applications. We present a novel study of the relationships between different crop damage level indicators (damage reports, yield loss and compensation costs) and population numbers of large grazing birds. We identified a positive relationship with high uncertainty for all cases. We also identified the need to (a) better synchronize the monitoring of damages and bird numbers in time and space and (b) further study the relationships between damage levels and bird numbers at smaller (local and regional) and larger (flyway) spatial scales to reduce the uncertainty of the relationship and to gain a more holistic understanding of the system.

Moult migration, site fidelity and survival of British Greylag Geese Anser anser at Windermere, Cumbria

ABSTRACT Analyses of 2280 re-encounters made during 2014–20 of 300 adult British Greylag Geese Anser anser marked at Windermere, Cumbria, in summers 2013–16 are used to describe the patterns of their moult migration. Results show that birds moulting at Windermere are migrating mainly from the nearby counties of Lancashire, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, and from within Cumbria itself. Resightings at Windermere showed that the number of individuals returning to moult decreased during the study: possible reasons for this are given. We also provide new and updated information on the survival and mean dispersal distance for non-breeding British Greylag Geese. The mean dispersal distance away from Windermere for all marked individuals was 83.3 km (95% CI 73.4–93.2). Annual mean survival rates ranged between 0.568 and 0.872 over the study period, with a mean of 0.680 (95% CI 0.584–0.775). Results from this study contribute to improving our knowledge of the demography of the British Greylag Goose population.

Spatio–temporal distribution of greylag goose Anser anser resightings on the north-west/south-west European flyway: guidance for the delineation of transboundary management units

In western Europe, the majority of wild goose populations have increased exponentially over the last decades. Such increase is the source of many socio–ecological conflicts. The need for coordinated management actions to handle the goose-related conflicts at the European scale has led to the establishment of a specific European Goose Management Platform (EGMP) under the auspices of the Agreement on the Conservation of African–Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). The northwest/south-west (NW/SW) European population of greylag goose Anser anser has been considered as a priority concern, and an AEWA international single species management plan has been recently adopted. Because of the complex structure of the greylag goose population (e.g. spatial differences in migration strategies), and management (e.g. different hunting schemes among the range states), delineation of management units (MUs) based on goose movement characteristics was deemed necessary to further implement effective management actions. Based on neckband marking in various breeding regions and subsequent resighting locations, we conducted spatio–temporal analysis based on kernel methods to infer spatio–temporal and migratory movements of greylag geese in the NW/SW European flyway. The results highlight the existence of contrasted migratory behaviour, dispersal patterns and phenology within the flyway. From these results three international management units could be delineated. The first MU would include migratory birds from Norway. Birds from breeding grounds in Sweden and Denmark would represent the second MU. Finally, a third central MU was delineated, including primarily breeding birds from the Netherlands and northwestern Germany, which do not show migratory behaviour at the flyway scale. The delineation of these MUs has to be considered within an adaptive process, and future studies will enable a refinement of the definition of such units in order to continuously improve the efficiency of management plans.

How Having a Partner and a Family Changes the Stress Levels of Graylag Geese

How Having a Partner and a Family Changes the Stress Levels of Graylag Geese

Migratory flights and local wintering movements of Greylag Geese Anser anser in western Europe

ABSTRACTThe local and migratory movements of Greylag Geese Anser anser wintering in southwest and northwest Europe were revealed with global positioning system tracking. Geese in the southwest had smaller home ranges than those from the northwest, and birds also moved large distances over wintering grounds and showed flexibility in the annual choice of wintering sites.