The red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis) belongs to the family Anatidae.
The red-breasted goose is distributed in Siberian tundra. The red-breasted goose winters in Europe, Southwest Asia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Greece and Azerbaijan.
They are occasionally found in Great Britain and Indian Subcontinent. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated this goose species and has listed them as "Vulnerable".
This goose is a medium sized bird and males are larger than the females. Male goose measures 50 to 55 cm in length and weighs 1,200 to 1,600 grams. The female weighs 1,000 to 1,100 grams. They have a wingspan of 115 to 135 cm.
They have blackish back and reddish brown breast. The legs and bill are dark grey in color. These birds inhabit dry shrub and lichen-covered tundra. They feed on grasses, some aquatic plants, leaves and seeds. They breed during June -July.
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| Indian birds - Red-breasted goose - Branta ruficollis |
| Biological classification of Branta ruficollis | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Anserinae |
| Genus: | Branta |
| Species: | B.ruficollis |
| Binomial name: | Branta ruficollis |
| Distribution: | Europe, Asia, rare visitor to the Indian Subcontinent |
| Feeding habits: | grasses, leaves and seeds; |
| IUCN status listing: |  Vulnerable |
Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:R%C3%A9serve_de_Sauvage_Bernache_cou_roux.jpg
Author: Félix Potuit | License: Public domain
Current topic in Birds of India: Red-breasted goose - Branta ruficollis.