Branta leucopsis · Icelandic: Helsingi
A striking black-and-white goose that once inspired a medieval myth.
Habitat: Coastal grassland and estuaries, mainly on passage | Season: Sep–Oct and Apr–May
Iceland is a key refuelling stop on migration between breeding grounds in Greenland/Svalbard and wintering grounds in Scotland and Ireland.
Medieval Europeans believed Barnacle Geese hatched from goose barnacles on driftwood, since no one had ever seen their real nests in the high Arctic.
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