Red-breasted Goose

The red-breasted goose is a brightly marked goose of the genus Branta, 53–56cm long with a 1.16–1.35m wingspan. It is sexually dimorphic, with males slightly heavier (1.2–1.62kg) than females (1.05–1.13kg). Like other Branta geese it is dark and sooty, relieved by white, which distinguishes it from the grey geese of the genus Anser, and at long distances the red of the breast tends to look dark. Calls include honking, and hissing in aggression (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds in Arctic Siberia, mainly on the Taymyr Peninsula, with smaller populations on the Gyda and Yamal peninsulas. Incubation takes 23–25 days and is done by the female. A catastrophic population decline was avoided because the birds altered their migration strategy and now winter in suitable habitats in Bulgaria and the Dobrogea region of eastern Romania (Wikipedia, general species account).