Barnacle goose
Scientific name: Branta leucopsis (Bechstein, 1803)
Overview
The barnacle goose is a species of goose that belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with extensive black in the plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. Despite its superficial similarity to the brant goose, genetic analysis has shown its closest relative is the cackling goose.
From the Wikipedia article “Barnacle goose”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Conservation status
Least concern on the IUCN Red List, as recorded on Wikidata, citing The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021.3.
Size and lifespan
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Birth weight | 107 g |
| Adult weight (male) | 1.79 kg |
| Adult weight (female) | 1.59 kg |
Source: Wikidata, citing “AVIAN BODY SIZES IN RELATION TO FECUNDITY, MATING SYSTEM, DISPLAY BEHAVIOR, AND RESOURCE SHARING”, article by Terje Lislevand et al published June 2007 in Ecology.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China); North America.
Common names
Names in other languages (13)
- Arabic
- إوز أبيض الرأس
- Bengali
- বার্নাকল হাঁস
- Chinese
- 白颊黑雁
- French
- Bernache nonnette
- German
- Weißwangengans
- Indonesian
- angsa teritip
- Japanese
- カオジロガン
- Persian
- غاز سفیدچهره
- Portuguese
- Ganso-de-faces-brancas, ganso-marisco
- Russian
- Белощёкая казарка
- Spanish
- Barnacla cariblanca
- Turkish
- Ak yanaklı kaz
- Urdu
- سُرخاب
Related animals
Sources
-
Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — conservation status, measurements, names in other languages. Q26680, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Barnacle goose”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — Andrey from Finland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
- Range map — MPF, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026