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 Greylag Goose Anser anser L 75- 85, W 147 170. The most widespread goose in Europe, nests chiefly in swamps and on reedy lakes but also e.g. on small islands on the sea coast, often in small colonies surrounded by loafing flocks of non-breeding immatures. Largest, heaviest Anser goose. Wings comparatively broad and blunt. Rather large bill. Pale pink legs. Greylag has, like Pink-footed Goose, pale panels on forewings, but Greylag's panels are paler, almost silvery-white, and contrast more sharply with secondaries and back. Also, Greylag's wing is bicoloured below: pale grey lesser and median coverts, and dark grey greater coverts and flight feathers (all other Ansergeese have uniformly dark underwings), On the ground, Greylag,never appears palebacked like Pink-foot. On the other hand head and neck are characteristically pale. Individuals flying directly away from observer can be distinguished from other geese by grey lower back, which is in pale contrast to browner scapulars. Juveniles have dark nail to bill. Like other Anser geese is gregarious and readily mixes with other species. Pitches and freewheels in flight even more than Pink-foot when landing. Has, like other Anser species, a wide repertoire of calls, incl. really shrill ones, but the most typical is a nasal, cackling 'kyang-ung-ung', the first syllable typically higher-pitched and more stressed. (Calls identical to those of domestic goose, of which Greylag is ancestor.) RWP
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