DVOC Main Page > Birding the Delaware Valley Region > Birds of the Delaware Valley > Species Description

Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsis

From DVOC's Delaware Valley Birds: "Lakes, ponds, fields, frequently with Canada Geese or Snow Geese. There is a continuing debate concerning whether individuals of this species are escapes or wild birds."
Habitat:
Lakes, ponds, fields and grassy areas.
Status and Distribution:
The most frequent ‘exotic’ goose recorded in the east, from Labrador to South Carolina – though numbers in captivity may be few there has yet to be an accepted record because of their questionable origin.
Range:
Breed in eastern Greenland to Siberia and winters in Europe (British Isles and the Netherlands).

© A & J Binns

History/State Records:
Delaware –
7 records all from Bombay Hook: 13 Nov 1965; 25 Nov 1967; 13 Nov-26 Dec 1973; 1 Jan-26 Jan 1980; 14 Dec 1982-2 Jan 1983; 5-6 Feb 1986 and 20 Feb 1982

Pennsylvania -
records from Bucks Co Oct 1970 at Churchville, Feb 1989 at Peace Valley and 5 birds in Jan 1998 at Peace Valley and Pine Run, 8 Feb 2002 in Buckingham Twp; Berks Co; Chester Co; Lancaster Co; Lehigh Co; Montgomery Co and Northampton Co.

New Jersey –
Feb 2002 at Merrill Creek; Oct-Nov 2002 at Veterans Park, Hamilton Twp; Nov 19 2002 at Plainsboro Preserve

Additional Information:
Johnsgard (1978) stated that spring records are more likely than fall records to refer to wild birds and that this species is a long-distance migrant whose numbers have been increasing in Greenland.