Family ANATIDAE, swans, geese and ducks

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor

This swan is breeding in the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It has been introduced in North America, South Africa and Australia. Four populations inhabit the European Union. The sedentary Irish populations can be estimated at 10000 individuals and its trends are unknown. The British and Scottish population is also sedentary. It amounts to 25000 individuals, but is much fluctuating. The population of north-western continental Europe is partially sedentary, partially migrating or nomadic. It is increasing, and can currently be estimated at 210000 individuals. The birds visiting southern Italy and Greece belong to the population of the Black Sea region and eastern Mediterranean, which is also increasing and can be estimated at about 45000 individuals (Scott & Rose).

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Bean Goose, Anser fabalis

This goose inhabits tundra or taiga in northern Eurasia. The birds visiting the European Union belong to two clearly distinct populationspossibly valid species. The birds of the race fabalis are breeding in the taiga, from Sweden to the Urals, and winter mainly in Denmark and the Netherlands. A few hundreds of individuals reach England. This population is currently estimated at 80000 individuals, and seems to be increasing but decreasing following Huyskens (pers. comm.). The second population comprises the birds of the race rossicus, breeding in the tundra of northern Europe, from the Kola Peninsula to the Urals, and wintering in central Europe, Germany and the Netherlands. During very cold winters it is reaching France, northern Italy and Spain. This population is estimated at 300000 individuals, but its trends are not well known (Scott & Rose).

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Pink-footed Goose, Anser brachyrhynchus

This goose has two distinct populations. Both have undergone an important increase since the 1950’s. The first population is breeding in Iceland and Greenland, and wintering in Scotland and northern England. It amounts to 225000 individuals. The second population is breeding on Svalbard and wintering in Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium. It amounts to 34000 individuals (Scott & Rose).

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White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons (see also Annex I)

This goose is breeding in the tundra of northern Europe, Asia and North America. Two races visit the European Union, but only the nominate race albifrons can be hunted and is included in Annex II. It inhabits Siberia and comprises several populations with distinct breeding and wintering grounds. The westernmost population is wintering mainly in the Netherlands and Flanders, after a transit in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Denmark. It has strongly increased during the last decades and is currently estimated at 600000 individuals (Scott & Rose, 1996). A second population, amounting to about 100000 individuals, is wintering in Central Europe, mainly in Hungary. A few hundreds or thousands of these birds are reaching Italy in some winters. This population has undergone a definite decline, however. A third population, amounting to about 650000 individuals, is wintering in the Balkan Peninsula (Romania and Bulgaria) and Turkey. A few hundreds or thousands of birds reach northern and north-western Greece, where the species is currently declining (Scott & Rose, 1996; Handrinos et Akriotis, 1997).

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Greylag Goose, Anser anser

This goose inhabits the temperate and boreal regions of Europe and Asia. The birds visiting the European Union belong more or less to five distinct populations (Scott & Rose). The first population comprises the sedentary birds of north-western Scotland. It has nearly doubled during the last 20 years and is currently amounting to 5250 individuals. The second population is breeding in Iceland and wintering in Scotland, northern England and Ireland. It increased from 25000 in 1950 to 100000 currently. The third population is breeding in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Western Germany the Netherlands and Belgium, and wintering from the Netherlands to Spain and Morocco. From 30000 at the end of the 1960’s, it increased to 200000 currently. The fourth population is breeding in north-eastern Sweden, Finland, the Baltic States and Central Europe, transiting in Italy and wintering in Tunisia and Algeria. It is estimated at 20000 individuals and seems to be quite stable. The fifth population is breeding in the Black Sea regions and Turkey. It reaches northern Greece, and can be estimated at 25000 individuals. Its trends are not well known, but it is probably declining (Scott & Rose, EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds).

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Canada Goose, Branta canadensis

This species from North America has been introduced in England since the middle of the 17^th century and in Sweden since 1933. It has now colonised northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The population of the European Union is totalling 30000-35000 breeding pairs, and, despite being considered a pest in many areas, it is still introduced in some new areas (EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds).

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Brent Goose, Branta bernicla

This goose is breeding on the arctic coasts of Eurasia and North America, mainly on small islets protected from polar foxes (Alopex lagopus). It winters along the temperate Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The birds visiting the European Union belong to three different populations (Scott & Rose). The first population, estimated at 20000 individuals, comprises the white-bellied birds of the race hrota, breeding in Greenland and northern Canada and wintering in Ireland. The second population, estimated at 5000 individuals, comprises the birds of the race hrota breeding on Svalbard and wintering in Denmark and north-eastern England. The third population, estimated at 300000 individuals, comprises the dark-bellied birds of the nominate race, breeding along the Russian coasts and wintering in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, south-western England and France. All three populations have undergone important fluctuations. The nominate race has experienced a 90% decline during the 1930’s following a disease of its foodplant, Zostera marina. It has started to recover since the 1950’s, and the increase is still in progress. The populations of Canada and Greenland have increased since the 1960’s and seem currently to be stable. The population of Svalbard dropped from about 40000-50000 to a mere 2000 at the end of the 1960’s, not only because of the disease of Zostera but also because of non sustainable hunting. Since the 1970’s it has recovered (Scott & Rose).

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Wigeon, Anas penelope

This duck has a widespread distribution in northern Eurasia. It is breeding in England and Scotland, where it is sedentary. Elsewhere in the European Union (12 Members States) it is only known as a passage migrant or wintering bird. The population wintering around the North Sea is totalling 1250000 individuals, and is definitely increasing. These birds originate from Scandinavia and European Russia. Normally they don’t move farther south as Bretagne, but during strong winters they reach Spain in large numbers. The population wintering in the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions is estimated at 560000 individuals, and is declining. These birds probably have a more eastern origin, and are less subjected to spectacular winter movements (Scott & Rose).

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Gadwall, Anas strepera

A species breeding in the temperate regions of North America and Eurasia. The breeding populations of the western parts of the European Union are more or less sedentary, but they are increased in winter by migratory birds from the Baltic region. This population is totalling 30000 individuals, and seems to have increased during the last decades (Scott & Rose). The birds breeding in Greece or visiting Greece in winter belong to a more oriental population, estimated at 75000-150000 individuals but currently declining (Scott & Rose).

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Teal, Anas crecca

The nominate race of this duck inhabits northern Eurasia and the carolinensis race North America. For practical reasons, the European populations can be divided in two sub-populations, separated mainly by their wintering quarters. The first, estimated at 400000 individuals and undergoing a definite increase, is wintering along the Atlantic coasts from Denmark to the British Isles and Aquitaine. During very strong winters it reaches Spain and Portugal, but in mild winters the birds of the Netherlands and the British Isles are almost sedentary. The second population is estimated at 750000-1375000 individuals, but its trends are unknown. It winters in the Black Sea region and around the Mediterranean. Only a small fraction of these birds is reaching West Africa (Scott & Rose).

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Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos

This duck is breeding throughout northern Eurasia and North America. For practical reasons its populations of the European Union can be subdivided in three distinct sub-populations, separated by their wintering quarters. The first, totalling about 5000000 individuals and apparently stable, is wintering in the Atlantic regions from Denmark to the British Isles and Aquitaine. The second population is estimated at 1000000 individuals, and has nearly doubled during the last 20 years. It winters around the western Mediterranean, from Italy to Iberia. The third population is still estimated at 2250000 individuals, but has probably declined by 60-75% during the last 20 years. It winters in the Black Sea regions and the eastern Mediterranean, e. g. in Greece (Scott & Rose).

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Pintail, Anas acuta

This duck is breeding in northern Eurasia and North America. For practical reasons its populations of the European Union can be subdivided in two distinct sub-populations, separated by their wintering quarters. The first, totalling about 60000 individuals, is wintering in the Atlantic regions from Denmark to the British Isles and Aquitaine. The second population is estimated at 1200000 individuals. It winters around the Mediterranean and in West Africa. These two populations are not strictly separated and many birds are shifting from one to the other. Nevertheless this species is declining in western Europe, fluctuating in Central Europe and the Mediterranean (Scott & Rose).

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Garganey, Anas querquedula

This species breeding in the temperate regions of Eurasia is totally migratory, and its European population is wintering entirely in sub-Saharan West Africa. It is still estimated at 2000000 individuals, but seems to decline following loss of habitat in the breeding areas by reclamation of wetlands or transformation into artificial lakes. In Africa also its wintering areas are threatened by reclamation and expansion of rice cultivation (Scott & Rose, Tucker & Heath).

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Shoveler, Anas clypeata

This duck inhabits North America and northern Eurasia. For practical reasons its populations of the European Union can be subdivided in two distinct sub-populations, separated by their wintering quarters. The first, totalling about 40000 individuals and apparently stable, is wintering in the Atlantic regions from Denmark to the British Isles and Aquitaine. The second population is estimated at 450000 individuals, but its current trends are unknown. It winters in the Black Sea region, the Mediterranean and West Africa. (Scott & Rose).

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Last update : 06/10/06