Anser erythropus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	Anseriformes	Anatidae

Scientific Name:

Anser erythropus

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Lesser White-fronted Goose

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

Butchart, S., Gilroy, J. (BirdLife International Red List Authority) & Pople, R. (BirdLife International - European Division)

Justification:
This species is listed as Vulnerable because it has suffered a rapid population reduction in its key breeding population in Russia, and equivalent declines are predicted to continue. The Fennoscandian population has undergone a severe historical decline, and has not yet recovered.

History:

2006	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable
1988	–	Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Anser erythropus breeds in northern Fennoscandia (Norway 35-45 pairs, Finland 0-5 pairs, Sweden 5 pairs¹³) and several areas in Russia, including the Kola Peninsula, tundra to the west and east of Pechora, Western Siberia (Yamal and Gydan peninsulas), the southern Taimyr and Putorana Plateau, areas north of Eastern Siberia and Chukotka. Eastern breeders winter in central China and Mongolia, and European and west Asian breeders around the Black and Caspian Seas, in Azerbaijan, the Evros Delta between Greece and Turkey⁵, Iraq and possibly Iran. Small numbers occur on passage or in winter in Hungary, Germany²⁴, Slovakia, Romania^2,7 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Bulgaria⁹. A small wintering population is also now established in The Netherlands, which originates from a reintroduced breeding population in Sweden. There are important staging areas in Kazakhstan¹⁰, Estonia¹⁰, Lithuania and Poland. The total population is estimated to be 25,000-28,000 individuals. This includes 8,000-11,000 individuals in autumn in its Western Palearctic range²⁴ and 17,000 wintering individuals from the East Asian Flyway(20,000 recorded in 1997¹⁴; but later not more than 17,000²⁴; 16,937 counted in Lower Yangtze Valley in 2004¹²). The Russian population has declined from a former estimate of 30,000-50,000 individuals⁸. The Fennoscandian population has declined from more than 10,000 birds in the early 20th century.
Countries:	Native: Albania; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; China; Croatia; Czech Republic; Estonia; Finland; Georgia; Greece; Hungary; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Kazakhstan; Lithuania; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Norway; Poland; Romania; Serbia; Slovakia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan Reintroduced: Belgium; Germany; Netherlands; Sweden Vagrant: Denmark; Egypt; France; India; Ireland; Israel; Japan; Jordan; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Myanmar; Oman; Pakistan; Spain; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States Presence uncertain: Armenia; Latvia
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	8,000-11,000 autumn individuals in W Palearctic (Yerokhov et al., 2004; Morozov & Syroechkovski, 2005;) plus about 17,000 wintering individuals from E. Asian Flyway ( from 11,800 to 16,800 in 1999(Lei, 2000; Markkola et al., 2000), 16,600 in 2003 (Barter, 2004); 16,937 counted in Lower Yangtze Valley in 2004: Barter et al. 2004).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour This species is fully migratory, and information about its migration routes has only recently come to light as a result of satellite telemetry studies¹⁵. The species departs from its breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia and arctic Russia in late August to early September. Populations from Fennoscandia and west Asia follow several routes: either south (through Hungary), or east and then south, through the Russian Taimyr Peninsula in northern Siberia, northern Kazakhstan and finally the Black Sea^21,25, to reach wintering grounds in south-east Europe (the Hungarian plain to the Black Sea) and the Near East (around the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf)^21,22. East Asian populations winter in eastern China²³ and the Korean peninsula¹. The return passage to the breeding grounds begins in February, with the species arriving from early May²¹ to late June¹. In Siberia non-breeding birds undertake a moult-migration to higher altitudes or to areas north of the breeding range¹. Evidence indicates that this species is not a colonial breeder¹⁶, but nests in pairs on isolated territories¹⁷. The species is gregarious outside the breeding season however¹⁷. Habitat Breeding This species breeds in low-lying bogs, scrub-covered tundra and taiga-forest edges close to wetlands, up to 700 m above sea level¹⁵. It can also be found on the slopes by lower parts of mountain streams, on mountain foothills, mountain lakes and on alpine precipices, often in thawing boggy areas or on stonefields^{16, 18}. Adults of this species undergo a post-breeding flightless summer moult whilst still in their breeding range (in Siberia and Scandinavia adults migrate to areas north of the breeding range or to higher altitudes to exploit large open water fringed with sedge (Carex), or river valleys with long grass and scrub to escape predation)¹⁵. Non-breeding During winter and on migration this species frequents open short grassland in the steppe and semi-arid zones, particularly in sodic (e.g. seashore) pastures, arable farmland, pastures and meadows^{1, 15, 18}. Winter roosting colonies are also formed on large lakes and rivers^{17, 18}, or in reedbeds and rushes¹⁸. Diet This species is herbivorous, feeding on grasses, roots, stems, leaves, fruits and the green parts of aquatic and terrestrial plants along lake-shores, rivers and marshes¹⁵. During the winter the species supplements its diet with winter agricultural grains¹⁵. Breeding site Birds of this species often nest on snow-free patches available early in the breeding season (such as rocky outcrops or prominent hummocks) hidden amongst vegetation (grass, dwarf shrub heathland) or in boggy hollows^{1, 15}, usually in close proximity to open water or marshy areas¹⁵.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour This species is fully migratory, and information about its migration routes has only recently come to light as a result of satellite telemetry studies¹⁵. The species departs from its breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia and arctic Russia in late August to early September. Populations from Fennoscandia and west Asia follow several routes: either south (through Hungary), or east and then south, through the Russian Taimyr Peninsula in northern Siberia, northern Kazakhstan and finally the Black Sea^21,25, to reach wintering grounds in south-east Europe (the Hungarian plain to the Black Sea) and the Near East (around the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf)^21,22. East Asian populations winter in eastern China²³ and the Korean peninsula¹. The return passage to the breeding grounds begins in February, with the species arriving from early May²¹ to late June¹. In Siberia non-breeding birds undertake a moult-migration to higher altitudes or to areas north of the breeding range¹. Evidence indicates that this species is not a colonial breeder¹⁶, but nests in pairs on isolated territories¹⁷. The species is gregarious outside the breeding season however¹⁷. Habitat Breeding This species breeds in low-lying bogs, scrub-covered tundra and taiga-forest edges close to wetlands, up to 700 m above sea level¹⁵. It can also be found on the slopes by lower parts of mountain streams, on mountain foothills, mountain lakes and on alpine precipices, often in thawing boggy areas or on stonefields^{16, 18}. Adults of this species undergo a post-breeding flightless summer moult whilst still in their breeding range (in Siberia and Scandinavia adults migrate to areas north of the breeding range or to higher altitudes to exploit large open water fringed with sedge (Carex), or river valleys with long grass and scrub to escape predation)¹⁵. Non-breeding During winter and on migration this species frequents open short grassland in the steppe and semi-arid zones, particularly in sodic (e.g. seashore) pastures, arable farmland, pastures and meadows^{1, 15, 18}. Winter roosting colonies are also formed on large lakes and rivers^{17, 18}, or in reedbeds and rushes¹⁸. Diet This species is herbivorous, feeding on grasses, roots, stems, leaves, fruits and the green parts of aquatic and terrestrial plants along lake-shores, rivers and marshes¹⁵. During the winter the species supplements its diet with winter agricultural grains¹⁵. Breeding site Birds of this species often nest on snow-free patches available early in the breeding season (such as rocky outcrops or prominent hummocks) hidden amongst vegetation (grass, dwarf shrub heathland) or in boggy hollows^{1, 15}, usually in close proximity to open water or marshy areas¹⁵.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Breeding Disturbance on breeding grounds (e.g. from increasing tourism and angling) causes much disruption to nesting birds¹. Illegal spring hunting and round-ups of moulting birds are taking place on the Russian breeding grounds²⁶ and illegal shooting continues in Norway²⁹. Habitat deterioration, as a result of land cultivation and increased water-levels in the Caspian Sea, is a further threat¹, as is habitat loss through the creation of reservoirs for hydroelectric power in Scandinavia¹. The species may also be threatened by nest predation from the Red Fox Vulpes vulpes¹. Climate change and associated habitat shifts are expected to impact negatively on this species and others dependent on tundra habitat for breeding. Modelling indicates that 28% of the habitat for this species could be lost by 2070¹¹. Non-breeding High mortality in autumn and winter is caused by illegal hunting, and accidental shooting on the staging and wintering grounds is the most important threat^{1,2,5,15,20,26}. Disturbance of roosting and feeding birds by hunters is a potentially significant limiting factor on survival and breeding output^27,28,30. The wintering population at Dongting Lake, China, is threatened by the Three Gorges Dam³. In the Kaliningrad region of Russia, important migratory stop-over points on the Baltic Sea coastline are being degraded through petroleum pollution, wetland drainage for agriculture, changes in wetland management leading to scrub and reed overgrowth, peat extraction, and the burning and mowing of reed beds¹⁹.

Major Threat(s):

Breeding Disturbance on breeding grounds (e.g. from increasing tourism and angling) causes much disruption to nesting birds¹. Illegal spring hunting and round-ups of moulting birds are taking place on the Russian breeding grounds²⁶ and illegal shooting continues in Norway²⁹. Habitat deterioration, as a result of land cultivation and increased water-levels in the Caspian Sea, is a further threat¹, as is habitat loss through the creation of reservoirs for hydroelectric power in Scandinavia¹. The species may also be threatened by nest predation from the Red Fox Vulpes vulpes¹. Climate change and associated habitat shifts are expected to impact negatively on this species and others dependent on tundra habitat for breeding. Modelling indicates that 28% of the habitat for this species could be lost by 2070¹¹. Non-breeding High mortality in autumn and winter is caused by illegal hunting, and accidental shooting on the staging and wintering grounds is the most important threat^{1,2,5,15,20,26}. Disturbance of roosting and feeding birds by hunters is a potentially significant limiting factor on survival and breeding output^27,28,30. The wintering population at Dongting Lake, China, is threatened by the Three Gorges Dam³. In the Kaliningrad region of Russia, important migratory stop-over points on the Baltic Sea coastline are being degraded through petroleum pollution, wetland drainage for agriculture, changes in wetland management leading to scrub and reed overgrowth, peat extraction, and the burning and mowing of reed beds¹⁹.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation actions underway: CMS Appendix I and II. It is protected in key range states except Azerbaijan and China. Satellite telemetry studies have improved knowledge of its ecology and the key threats^2,,10. A reintroduction programme in Sweden recently ended. Public awareness materials have been produced⁴. A European action plan was published in 1996. Conservation actions proposed: Reduce hunting pressure in key wintering and staging areas. Locate, monitor and protect key areas. Continue satellite tracking and other research. Prevent habitat loss and manage habitats in staging and wintering areas. Promote international and national legal protection. Promote public awareness.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation actions underway:

CMS Appendix I and II. It is protected in key range states except Azerbaijan and China. Satellite telemetry studies have improved knowledge of its ecology and the key threats^2,,10. A reintroduction programme in Sweden recently ended. Public awareness materials have been produced⁴. A European action plan was published in 1996.

Conservation actions proposed:

Reduce hunting pressure in key wintering and staging areas. Locate, monitor and protect key areas. Continue satellite tracking and other research. Prevent habitat loss and manage habitats in staging and wintering areas. Promote international and national legal protection. Promote public awareness.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Anser erythropus. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 November 2009.
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