ANANS

Greylag Goose Anser anser

Regular September counts of Greylag Geese started in south Sweden in 1984 and have been undertaken every year since then. The species is distributed on a number of sites in the southern part of the country and the majority of these sites have been covered each year since the start of the count but the species is dispersing to new sites and some of these might be overlooked during the first years. Over the years there has been a marked increase and spread among the Greylags and in the most recent years staging flocks are found also in northern Sweden, but at the moment they are here concentrated to the coast (see distribution maps, links below!) When the September counts started in Sweden a total of 20000 Greylag Geese were counted in the country. As in other parts of Europe numbers increased and in September 2006 more than 200000Greylags were actually counted and the population was probably even larger. The September counts in 2007 were somewhat lower, but some sites were not covered and the population was certainly in the higher than 200000. During the last three September counts numbers have been around 225 000.It seems from the graph for September that the increase in the population has stopped and that it probably reached a (at least temporary) plateau. From the neckbanding programme it is known that the majority of Swedish Greylag Geese remain in the country at the time of the September counts. During the years the Greylags have changed their migration habits and stay longer and longer in Sweden in the autumn(and arrive back earlier in spring). Accordingly October counts have increased too, and in 2008 the highest October count was noted. A large part of the population leaves Sweden before November, but the November totals increase too, especially for Scania and in November 2010 no less than 68000 Greylags were counted in Sweden. In recent years more and more Greylags have started to winter in Sweden. Before the year 2000 only small numbers were seen in Sweden in January, but in the mild winters of 2007 and 2008 close to 50000 were counted and the total in Sweden was most probably even higher still. The species wsas also much more spread in these two very mild winters with Greylags seen all over south Sweden and not only in the southernmost province of Scania. The winters 2010 and 2011 were colder with snow even in south Sweden. Especially 2010/11 was a very early winter with freezing condtions even in the southernmost parts from late November until early January. Evenso close to 12000 Greylags remained in the country.

Page last updated 2011-08-26