About
Name: Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)
Length: 60 - 75 cm.
Weight: 1.5 - 3.5 kg.
Location: Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard. Winters in northwest Europe (Great Britain, Netherlands, Denmark).
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Diet: Water plants, beets, potatoes, grains.
Appearance: Pink feet, short pink bill with black base and tip. Brown body, head, and neck with white trim and a white tail.
How do Pink-footed Geese feed?
In winter, Pink-footed Geese forage near farmlands. Due to their numbers, they can damage fields. Local governments have measures to protect crops, such as leaving out harvested beet tops to divert the geese from valuable crops.
Are Pink-footed Geese social?
They migrate in flocks that can number in the thousands.
How fast do Pink-footed Geese fly?
Migration speeds range from 40 km to 60 km per hour, depending on the weather.
What are Pink-footed Geese birthing rituals like?
They nest on cliffs and lake islets to avoid predators. Nests are reused yearly and are scrapes in the ground lined with plants and down. Females build up fat reserves before laying 3 to 6 eggs. Incubation lasts about a month, with the female incubating and the male guarding. Goslings stay with parents until they fledge at about 2 months. Families migrate south in mid-September to early October and stay together until the next northward migration.
How long do Pink-footed Geese live?
They live for about 20 years in the wild.
How many Pink-footed Geese are there today?
Population estimates are:
- Great Britain - 292,000
- Denmark and Netherlands - 34,000
Do Pink-footed Geese have any natural predators?
Eggs and young are prey to foxes and predatory birds like gulls.
7 Profound Pink-footed Goose Facts
- Most common goose in Svalbard.
- Largest goose to nest in Svalbard, better protecting their young from foxes.
- Two distinct populations: one breeds in Greenland and Iceland, winters in Britain; the other breeds in Svalbard, winters in the Netherlands and Denmark.
- Huge carbon footprint due to grubbing in Arctic soil.
- Other names for goose flocks include "blizzard," "knot," "plump," "string," and "chevron."
- Ranges between 100,000 and 1,000,000 km².
- Scientific name Anser brachyrhynchus: Latin anser (goose), Greek brakhus (short), Greek rhunkhos (bill).
Best Deals
Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail
24 Apr - 01 May 2026$ 3.950
Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail
01 May - 08 May 2026$ 3.950
Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice Edge, Spitsbergen, Birding
27 May - 05 Jun 2026$ 3.100
North Spitsbergen - Arctic Spring , Hike & Sail
29 May - 05 Jun 2026$ 4.000
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special
05 Jun - 12 Jun 2026$ 4.500
Arctic Ocean - Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding
05 Jun - 13 Jun 2026$ 2.800
Related Trips
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail
24 Apr 2026 - 01 May 2026 
8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 3.950 per person
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail
01 May 2026 - 08 May 2026 8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 3.950 per person
The Arctic
Aberdeen
Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice Edge, Spitsbergen, Birding
27 May 2026 - 05 Jun 2026 10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 3.100 per person
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
North Spitsbergen - Arctic Spring , Hike & Sail
29 May 2026 - 05 Jun 2026 8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.000 per person
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special
05 Jun 2026 - 12 Jun 2026 8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.500 per person
The Arctic
Akureyri
Arctic Ocean - Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding
05 Jun 2026 - 13 Jun 2026 9 Days / 8 Nights
From $ 2.800 per person
The Arctic
Aberdeen
Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Summer Solstice
12 Jun 2026 - 21 Jun 2026 10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 3.100 per person
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special
12 Jun 2026 - 19 Jun 2026 8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.500 per person
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife
13 Jun 2026 - 20 Jun 2026 8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.500 per person
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
North Spitsbergen Basecamp – Summer Solstice - Free Kayaking, Hiking, Photo Workshop, Diving (supplemented)
19 Jun 2026 - 26 Jun 2026 8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.500 per person
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Summer Solstice
20 Jun 2026 - 27 Jun 2026 8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.500 per person
The Arctic
Longyearbyen
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Summer Solstice
21 Jun 2026 - 28 Jun 2026 8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.500 per person
Blog
Blog
Svalbard’s 12 Most Iconic Animals
Each of our Arctic regions offers its own distinct and unforgettable features: Greenland boasts mountainous shorelines and record-setting fjords, Northern Norway is renowned for the aurora borealis and historic masted schooners, and Svalbard (especially Spitsbergen) is where you're most likely to encounter a variety of Arctic wildlife.
Blog
Svalbard a Disneyland for geologists
Svalbard is situated in the north-western corner of the Eurasian plate. Historically, Svalbard was part of a vast continent that included North America, Greenland, and Eurasia. At one point, both Northeast Greenland and Svalbard were submerged under the ocean before resurfacing.
Blog
Birding Opportunities Abound in Spitsbergen
Seabirds are the most prevalent type of bird in Spitsbergen. Experts have estimated that there are 164 bird species that have been found throughout Spitsbergen at various points during recent history, but only 30 of them are known to turn to the Svalbard Islands as their primary breeding spot.
Blog
Eight Engaging Reindeer Facts
When we think about reindeer, we might also think of Saami herders or the holidays or teams of these beloved Arctic animals pulling a bell-covered sleigh across the nighttime sky. Only the first of these options, however, is something you're likely to encounter on an Arctic expedition cruise - and that's only in Northern Norway.
Blog
What’s so Special about East Spitsbergen?
We’ve previously discussed our north Spitsbergen journeys and Spitsbergen circumnavigations, but the eastern parts of this incredible island have not received the attention they deserve. Despite the name, our east Spitsbergen voyages explore much more than just the eastern side of Spitsbergen.
Blog
Svalbard’s Texas Bar
Texas Bar is one of the historic areas we visit on certain Svalbard trips, and it always proves to be a cherished landing site among both our guides and guests. This might be surprising, however, given that its name can be a bit misleading.
Blog
A Bug’s Life in Svalbard
When you think about Svalbard wildlife, you might imagine reindeer, Arctic foxes, polar bears – the primary animal attractions that draw passengers to an Arctic cruise. But in fact, the Svalbard archipelago is a thriving location for over 1,000 species of terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates: animals that lack backbones. Despite this richness of life, however, these invertebrates are only found in the Isfjord and Kongsfjord areas of these wonderfully diverse islands.
Blog
Solargraphy & Pin Hole photography in the Arctic
Blog
Spitsbergen: Alkefjellet magic
If they knew their way home, why not follow them? Equipped with GPS and compass, we approached the cliffs by zodiac. First, we heard the noise from the colony – the distinct calls of guillemots, kittiwakes, and Glaucous gulls. Then the cliffs gradually emerged from the mist.
Blog
Polar bear encounter in Spitsbergen
I watch the sea ice from the bridge of a ship in one of the fjords of Spitsbergen, an archipelago north of Norway. I observe a perfectly adapted animal moving on the ice, the results of hundreds of thousands of years of ecological fine-tuning. Snowshoe-sized paws distribute weight, fur handles the cold and sunlight to perfection, and an incredible sense of smell samples this monochromatic realm.
Blog
The polar bear: king of the Arctic food chain
As apex predators, polar bears reign supreme in the Arctic food chain. Only humans pose a threat to this massive and majestic species. But one look at these magnificent creatures explains why so many people embark on Arctic trips hoping to spot a polar bear in its natural habitat.
Blog
Svalbard vs. the Canadian Arctic
It’s easy to assume the Arctic is uniform, a vast expanse of northern freeze shaped by snow, ice, and endless darkness.
Blog
Around Spitsbergen vs. North Spitsbergen
Svalbard, particularly Spitsbergen, was the first polar expedition cruise destination. It's no surprise that there are numerous trip programs available in this region. Among the most unique are the Around Spitsbergen and North Spitsbergen cruises.
Blog
The Arctic Borderland of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard
Kongsfjorden is a glacial fjord in Svalbard that hosts a diverse array of flora and fauna.
Blog
Puffins: Clown Birds of the Atlantic
Puffins are part of a family of 22 seabird species known as auks, which are pigeon-sized birds that thrive on a diet of small fish and crustaceans.
Blog
Circumnavigating Spitsbergen
Many of our expedition cruises focus on specific areas of the Arctic or Antarctica, delving deep into local wildlife and other natural highlights. However, some programs aim to provide a broader survey, visiting a variety of sites to offer guests a wider perspective.
Blog
Spitsbergen: a true polar bear trip
On the third day of our Svalbard cruise, we navigated through the sea ice north of Spitsbergen. The morning greeted us with fog and fragmented ice, but conditions gradually improved. A swarm of black-legged kittiwakes trailed behind us, as our ship stirred the waters, pushing aside ice floes to reveal the tiny dark polar cod beneath.
Blog
Inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Literature, cinema, and even video games often present us with various global disaster scenarios. These typically involve devastating wars, catastrophic natural events, or widespread pandemics that leave survivors scavenging for food and supplies amidst hordes of zombies.
Blog
Polar bear feast
The polar bear was relishing his meal; the snow and his face were turning red from the blood. As we observed him eating, our own stomachs began to grumble. It was time for lunch.
Blog
Polar Bear Primer: Eight Facts About the Arctic Wanderer
Polar bears inhabit the Arctic region across 19 subpopulations, including areas in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. These majestic creatures prefer the edges of pack ice where currents and wind interact, creating a dynamic environment of melting and refreezing that forms ice patches and leads, which are open spaces in the sea between sea ice.