The Greylag Goose Anser anser is the wild ancestor of domestic geese. It can reach a body length of up to 80 cm. The feet are light pink in color, and the bill is light pink to orange-red. The horn plate situated on the bill is white and referred to as the “nail.” The plumage is grayish to brown in color. The Greylag Goose is a migratory bird and moves southwards for wintering (Schaefer 2018). Anser anser inhabits meadows, fields, and marshes, mostly in proximity to rivers or along the coast (Peterson et al. 1993). The breeding season starts in March and lasts for approximately 30 days, with females typically laying four to nine eggs on average (LfULG 2008).

Diet: The Greylag Goose has a purely herbivorous diet. Its food spectrum includes grasses, marsh and sedge plants, herbs, water plants, as well as leaves and shoots of plants like dandelion, cabbage, and beets (Hegewald 2002).

Threat status: According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and the Red List of Germany, the Greylag Goose is classified as “least concern.”