Wildlife

Wild Bird: Pink-footed Goose Winter Welfare

Pink-footed geese wintering in the UK from Arctic breeding grounds face welfare pressures from agricultural disturbance, hunting, and food availability changes.

Key Facts

The UK hosts approximately 80% of the global pink-footed goose population in winter
Skeins arrive from Greenland and Iceland from late September, congregating on estuaries and farmland
Winter feeding on root crops and spilt grain is critical for maintaining body condition before spring migration
The species is a quarry species in the UK with a defined shooting season
Roosting in large flocks on estuaries provides safety from predators and welfare through social thermoregulation

Welfare Considerations

Pink-footed geese face welfare challenges from hunting pressure during winter residency and food availability variations. Hunting causes acute welfare harm through wounding and disruption of flock cohesion. Conservation management that maintains roost site safety and accessible feeding areas on farmland supports good winter welfare for this globally significant population.

What You Can Do

Support estuary and farmland conservation that maintains roost and feeding areas
Submit pink-footed goose count data to WWT or BTO monitoring schemes
Engage with responsible shooting organisations on wounding rate reduction
Support agri-environment options that provide goose feeding areas
Learn about the global significance of the UK's winter goose populations