Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsi
Gé ghiúrain
Almost all of Ireland's wintering Barnacle Geese are found in islands on the west and north coasts, to which they migrate from arctic Greenland each year. The most striking of geese to be seen in Ireland, its grey, black and white patterns of plumage make identification straightforward. In flight, extensive grey patches show on the wings and the flock calls with a noisy yelping. The main habitat is on low, grassy islands but flocks also commute to coastal fields on the mainland.