Anser albifrons

(Scopoli, 1769)

Greater White-fronted Goose

G5Secure Found in 54 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104263
Element CodeABNJB03040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderAnseriformes
FamilyAnatidae
GenusAnser
Other Common Names
Ganso Careto-Mayor (ES) Oie rieuse (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Exhibits geographic variation in morphology; breeders from Bristol Bay Lowlands are distinguishable from those in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska; further study of variation and subspecific status is needed (Orthmeyer et al. 1995). Subspecies elgasi (tule goose) may be a distinct species (Sibley and Monroe 1990, AOU 1998). May constitute a superspecies with A. erythropus (AOU 1998).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-06
Change Date1996-11-20
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Range Extent Comments
BREEDS: Northern Holarctic, although absent from eastern Greenland, Spitsbergen, Iceland, northern Scandinavia, and area between northeastern sections of Mackenzie and Keewatin districts, Northwest Territories. WINTERS: south to France, northern Africa, Greece, Iraq, Afghanistan, China, Japan, southern Mexico, and U.S. Gulf Coast; casual in Hawaii. In the U.S., occurs in winter primarily in California (Klamath Basin, Sacramento Valley, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta) and coastal Texas (Root 1988, Condor 94:858). Subspecies ELGASI: breeds around Cook Inlet, Alaska; winters primarily in Sacramento Valley, California.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

In migration and winter, inhabits wetlands, grainfields, grassy fields, marshes, lakes and ponds. Breeds on arctic tundra on edge of marshes, lakes, sloughs, rivers. May nest on islands, on hillsides near open water, or on hummocks in bogs. Female scrapes out depression and lines it with grasses and down.

Ecology

Major causes of nest destruction in Alaska were flooding (28%) and predation (9%) (Ely and Raveling 1984).

Reproduction

In North America, nests are initiated from mid-May to early June. Female incubates an average of 4-6 eggs for an average of 26-28 days; male stands guard. Hatching usually occurs in late June or early July in the Beaufort Sea region. Nestlings are tended by both adults. Family groups stay in social contact on the wintering grounds for up to several years (Ely, 1993, Auk 110:425-435). In western Greenland, first breeds usually at 2-4 years (Condor 94:791-793). Does not replace destroyed clutch (if complete). Often nests in loose colonies (e.g., 15-20 pairs in area of 0.65 sq km or less). Maximum reported nest density in northern Alaska was about 1.6 nests per sq km (Johnson and Herter 1989).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceousTundraCropland/hedgerow
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaSNAYes
TennesseeS3NYes
GeorgiaS3Yes
IdahoS4MYes
IndianaSNAYes
MinnesotaSNRMYes
UtahSNAYes
New MexicoS5NYes
KentuckySNAYes
West VirginiaS1NYes
IowaS3NYes
TexasS5Yes
MarylandSNAYes
WyomingS4NYes
OklahomaS3NYes
LouisianaS5NYes
ArkansasS4NYes
ColoradoSNAYes
AlabamaS3NYes
NebraskaSNRNYes
South DakotaSNAYes
WashingtonS3NYes
North CarolinaSNAYes
Navajo NationS2NYes
CaliforniaSNRNYes
OhioSNAYes
North DakotaSNAYes
NevadaS5NYes
MississippiSNAYes
WisconsinS4NYes
MontanaSNAYes
IllinoisSNAYes
KansasSNAYes
OregonSNAYes
South CarolinaS4NYes
AlaskaS5BYes
MissouriSNRNYes
New JerseySNAYes
ArizonaS2NYes
CanadaN5B
ProvinceRankNative
NunavutS5BYes
AlbertaS5MYes
QuebecS3MYes
OntarioS3MYes
British ColumbiaS4MYes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4BYes
SaskatchewanS5MYes
ManitobaS3MYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)UnknownLow (long-term)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)UnknownLow (long-term)

Roadless Areas (54)
Alaska (27)
AreaForestAcres
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
Chilkat-West Lynn CanalTongass National Forest199,772
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Douglas IslandTongass National Forest28,065
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
GravinaTongass National Forest37,381
Green RocksTongass National Forest11,093
Juneau UrbanTongass National Forest101,581
KartaTongass National Forest52,117
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
KogishTongass National Forest65,216
LindenbergTongass National Forest25,855
Mansfield PeninsulaTongass National Forest54,991
Middle KruzofTongass National Forest14,724
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
North KruzofTongass National Forest33,146
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
RevillaTongass National Forest29,298
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
Sitka UrbanTongass National Forest112,003
South KruzofTongass National Forest55,193
Tenakee RidgeTongass National Forest20,527
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Arizona (1)
AreaForestAcres
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
California (8)
AreaForestAcres
AntimonyLos Padres National Forest40,911
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
Dobie FlatModoc National Forest15,079
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
LavasModoc National Forest25,864
Log Cabin SaddlebagInyo National Forest15,165
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
HoodooNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest153,868
Oregon (10)
AreaForestAcres
BearwallowsDeschutes National Forest7,317
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
Hurricane CreekWallowa-Whitman National Forest1,606
Mt. BaileyUmpqua National Forest18,401
North PaulinaDeschutes National Forest19,670
South PaulinaDeschutes National Forest9,074
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
Wind CreekMt. Hood National Forest5,438
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Utah (2)
AreaForestAcres
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mt. BaldyOlympic National Forest3,557
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
References (31)
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  23. Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 511 pp.
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