Our commonest native goose, the greylag goose can be very territorial while nesting, chasing other geese and large birds away from its nesting site. Greylag geese become sociable again once the chicks have hatched, with several families of goslings sometimes grouping together. Greylag geese have short bills and prefer to graze pasture and meadows where cattle or sheep are grazing. They will also take grain, root crops and leafy vegetation.
How to identify
The greylag goose is a large, pale grey goose with pink legs and an orange bill.
Did you know?
The wild greylag goose is the ancestor of most domesticated, farmyard geese. It was traditionally eaten at Michaelmas (the 29th September: a day for celebrating the archangel St. Michael), and was cooked with port and mustard.
