Pink footed geese put on dazzling displays

Wildlife watchers are keeping their eyes on the skies as skeins of up to 10,000 pink footed geese make their annual flypast over East Yorkshire.

Pink footed geese flying in formation in front of a bright orange sky at sunset

Flying south for winter

The autumn migration is in full flow and pink footed geese – one of the easiest migratory species to spot - have arrived from the Arctic to spend the next few weeks in east Yorkshire. Some birds will remain here for the winter whilst others will head further south to overwinter in East Anglia and the east midlands.

Each morning, the birds travel inland from their overnight stay on the banks of the Humber to feed and rest in the fields of the High Wolds above Pocklington and Market Weighton.

The birds in their ‘V’ shaped formation can be heard honking noisily as they fly over in search of food. Next spring, they will return to their breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia, Greenland and Iceland.

Wetlands are a vital lifeline for migrating geese

Will you help us to protect them this autumn?

A pink footed goose in mid flight. Photograph by David Tipling/2020VISION

Where to spot pink footed geese

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s North Cave Wetlands reserve near Brough is one of the best places in Yorkshire to watch wildlife throughout the year and the geese may be spotted passing over, especially early in the morning. Other winter visitors including redwing and fieldfare have also been spotted arriving from northern Europe at Flamborough and Spurn.

An illustration of a pink footed goose by Mike Langman

Pink-footed vs greylag: How to spot the difference

From a distance it can be difficult to tell pink-footed geese apart from their much more widespread cousin, the greylag. Here are some top tips to help you spot the difference:

Colour difference

One of the most reliable ways to tell the difference between the two is by looking at their bill. Pink-footed geese have a mostly black bill with a tell-tale pink section in the middle.

Size difference

The pink-footed goose is one of our smaller geese, bigger than a mallard and smaller than a Canada goose. Pink-footed geese have a shorter neck, a more rounded head and shorter bill than greylag geese.

Season

Pink-footed geese are only found in North East England during autumn and winter. They migrate to Yorkshire from Greenland in October and leave again in April. If you spot one during summer or spring, it’s most likely a greylag.