Species Account
The Graylag Goose is native to Eurasia (Carboneras and Kirwan 2020) with widespread domesticated forms. Feral individuals are possibly established locally in Florida (Stevenson and Anderson 1994). The Graylag Goose is considered a verified, non-established exotic in Florida (Greenlaw et al. 2014).
UPDATED STATUS
Compared with BBA I (FWC 2003), BBA II reported 5 times more quad breeding records of all codes for Graylag Geese (Table 1). Three observations confirm breeding, but additional documentation is necessary to classify this species as an established exotic species (sensu Greenlaw et al. 2014).
Graylag Goose observations were concentrated in the western panhandle and northern peninsula with a few in the Miami area (Figure 1). Graylag Goose was found in 5 of 1,028 quads (0.5%) in BBA I and 25 of 1,033 quads (2.4%) in BBA II (Figure 2).
Citation: Engstrom, R. T. 2024. Graylag Goose (Anser anser). In A. B. Hodgson, editor. Florida Breeding Bird Atlas II. Special Publication Number 9. Florida Ornithological Society, Tampa, USA.
Banner Photograph: Wendy Meehan
Illustration: Diane Pierce
Data
Above photo by Wendy Meehan
Table 1
Maps
Figure 1
Figure 1. Graylag Goose quad-level distribution, Florida Breeding Bird Atlas II. Figures 1 and 2 are based on data collected across all six atlas blocks within a quad. Figure 1 is based on the highest breeding code observed in each quad.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Graylag Goose quad-level change detection based on the simple presence or absence of a species at any breeding code level within the quad during each atlas.
References
Carboneras, C. and G. M. Kirwan. 2020. Graylag Goose (Anser anser), version 1.0. In J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, editors. Birds of the world. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.gragoo.01.
Greenlaw, J. S., B. Pranty, and R. Bowman. 2014. The Robertson and Woolfenden Florida bird species: an annotated list. Florida Ornithological Society. Special Publication No. 8. Gainesville, USA.
Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida. Gainesville, USA.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission [FWC], editor. 2003. Florida’s breeding bird atlas: A collaborative study of Florida’s birdlife. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, USA. https://myfwc.com/media/19689/bba_dogo.pdf.