The Greylag Goose (Anser anser) is the wild ancestor of the domestic goose and the large grey goose that cackles over fields and wetlands, often flying in the classic V-formation during migration. It measures 74–84 cm long, with a wingspan of roughly 149–168 cm and a weight of 2.5–4.5 kg, showing a sturdy grey body with a slightly paler head and neck, a strong pink-to-orange bill, and pinkish legs. In flight, pale grey leading edges on the upperwing are a useful mark at distance; the sexes look alike, though males tend to be a touch larger.
Its call is a loud, ringing, somewhat nasal "ka-gang-ang" along with a cackling "ga-ga-ga" — unsurprisingly close to the domestic goose's honk, since that bird descends directly from this species. Greylag Geese nest near water, in reed beds, on islands and among waterside vegetation, with the female laying 4–8 eggs in a shallow, down-lined scrape and incubating for about four weeks while the male stands guard nearby; the precocial chicks follow their parents to grazing grounds within days of hatching. Breeding across most of Sweden from the coasts and lowland lakes up into Norrland, the population has grown strongly in recent decades to tens of thousands of pairs, helped by good access to farmland, where the geese graze winter crops and gleaned grain through autumn and winter. Many birds are short-distance migrants, and their return in February and March is one of the clearest signs of spring in the south.
Read about this species in Swedish →