Hidden in Plain Sight: Revealing the Intricate Lives of a Lesser Loved Goose, the Greylag

Speaker Larry Griffin: Larry works on wildfowl in Scotland and, in particular, over the past 25 years on Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese, and Whooper Swans in Dumfries and Galloway, and more recently on the resident Greylag Geese.

In the recent past, the Greylag Goose was a rare protected species restricted to the north-western isles. It has become more common in this region and within Scotland and the UK generally. It appears to be static, but GPS tracking has shown that they have a complex set of seasonal movements specific to each individual, and the birds you see on your local patch are unlikely to be the same birds day in and day out. This is an under-appreciated species with a much-tarnished image, which has interesting and varied breeding strategies, even nesting in trees.