Portal to the Lesser White-fronted Goose

- by the Fennoscandian Lesser White-fronted Goose project

Literature type: General

Journal: Linnut-vuosikirja

Volume: 2021 , Pages: 24-31

Language: Finnish in Finnish with English summary

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Full reference: Tolvanen, P., Karvonen R., Aarvak T, Øien I.J., Kaartinen, R., Lampila P. & Mikander, N. 2022. Kolmenumeroisiin yksilömääriin – kiljuhanhen suojelu 2015–2021. [Conservation of the Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus in 2015-2021.], Linnut-vuosikirja: 2021, 24-31

Keywords: Finland, trend, numbers, conservation, gsm-telemetry, migration routes

Abstract:

The critically endangered Fennoscandian Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus population is currently estimated to number roughly 100 individuals. Following a dramatic long-term decline to only some 10 breeding pairs in 2007–2008, the population has since slowly been increasing. The spring staging of the population on the Finnish Bothnian Bay coast has been monitored by the WWF Finland Lesser White-fronted Goose conservation project since 1985. In spring 2017, 124 individuals were counted, which was the highest number during the history of the monitoring. The Bothnian Bay coast was historically also an important autumn staging area and since 2020, the geese have again been staging in the area also during autumn migration. Breeding of the species has not been recorded in Finland since 1995, but the likelihood of locating breeding pairs again in Finnish Lapland is considered to be increasing, as the Norwegian breeding population is growing. As a part of the current international Lesser White-fronted Goose EU LIFE project (wwf.fi/lwfg), environmental DNA is being used to map potential breeding sites in Finland.

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: Bird Conservation International

Volume: 33 , Pages: e42, 1–8

DOI: 10.1017/S0959270922000478

Language: English

Full reference: Kruckenberg, H., Moonen S., Kölzsch, A., Liljebäck, N. & Müskens, GJDM. 2022. Migration routes and stepping stones along the western flyway of Lesser White-fronted Geese (Anser erythropus). Bird Conservation International 33: e42, 1–8 https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0959270922000478

Keywords: reintroduction, Sweden, migration routes, tracking, Brownian bridge, dBBMM,

Abstract:

In 2015 and 2016 four Lesser White-fronted Geese (Anser erythropus), a globally threatened species, were caught and tagged during spring migration representing nearly 10% of the entire Swedish breeding population at the time. Two of the birds were followed over more than one season. Tracking data revealed an unexpected wide network of migration corridors and staging sites. Autumn and spring migration differed by stepping-stone sites and migration speed. So far unknown key stopover sites were discovered in Denmark, northern Germany, and Sweden. By using dynamic Brownian bridge movement models, the potential areas that Lesser Whitefronted Geese used during migration are described and conservation implications spotlighted. This study provides another important piece of the puzzle describing the migration of Lesser White-fronted Geese in Western Europe.

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: Wildfowl

Volume: SpecIs 6 , Pages: 206–243.

Language: English

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Full reference: Ao, P., Wang, X., Solovyeva, D., Meng, F., Ikeuchi, T., Shimada, T., Park, J., Gao, D., Liu, G., Hu, B., Natsagdorj, T., Zheng, B., Vartanyan, S., Davaasuren, B., Zhang, J., Cao, L. & Fox, A. 2021. Rapid decline of the geographically restricted and globally threatened Eastern Palearctic Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus. Wildfowl SpecIs 6: 206–243.

Keywords: abundance, key sites, migration routes, population trends, telemetry tracking, China, Asia

Abstract:

The Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus, which breeds across northern Eurasia from Norway to Chukotka, is globally threatened and is currently classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Eastern Palearctic population of the species was thought to breed in arctic Russia, from east of the Taimyr Peninsula to Chukotka, and to winter in East Asia, but its precise status, abundance, breeding and wintering ranges, and migration routes were largely unknown, reducing the effectiveness of conservation efforts. In this paper, we combined results from satellite tracking, field surveys, a literature review and expert knowledge, to present an updated overview of the winter distribution and abundance of Lesser White-fronted Geese in the Eastern Palearctic, highlighting their migration corridors, habitat use and the conservation status of the key sites used throughout the annual cycle. Improved count coverage puts the Eastern Palearctic Lesser White-fronted Geese population at c. 6,800 birds in 2020, which represents a rapid and worrying decline since the estimate of 16,000 in 2015, as it suggests at least a halving of numbers in just five years. East Dongting Lake (Hunan Province) in China is the most important wintering site for the species in East Asia, followed by Poyang Lake (Jiangxi Province) and Caizi Lake (Anhui Province), with one key wintering site in Miyagi County in Japan. Satellite tracking showed that eight individuals captured during summer on the Rauchua River, Chukotka, Russia wintered in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River floodplain in China. Their migration speed was slower in spring than in autumn, mainly because of longer stopover duration at staging sites in spring. The tracked geese mainly used cultivated land on migration stopovers (52% in spring; 45% in autumn), tundra habitat in summer (63%), and wetlands (66%) in winter. Overall, 87% of the GPS fixes were in protected areas during the winter, far greater than in spring (37%), autumn (28%) and summer (7%). We urge more tracking of birds of differing wintering and breeding provenance to provide a fuller understanding of the migration routes, staging sites and breeding areas used by the geese, including for the birds wintering in Japan. The most urgent requirement is to enhance effective conservation and long-term monitoring of Lesser White-fronted Geese across sites within China, and particularly to improve our understanding of the management actions needed to maintain the species. Collaboration between East Asian countries also is essential, to coordinate monitoring and to formulate effective protection measures for safeguarding this population in the future.

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: International journal of environmental research and public health

Volume: 16 , Pages: 1147

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16071147

Language: English

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Full reference: Lei, J., Jia, Y., Zuo, A., Zeng, Q., Shi, L., Zhou, Y., Zhang, H., Lu, C., Lei, G., & Wen, L. 2019. Bird Satellite Tracking Revealed Critical Protection Gaps in East Asian-Australasian Flyway. International journal of environmental research and public health 16: 1147 https://www.dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071147

Keywords: migration route, stopover, gps tracking, utilization distribution, Croplands, Northeast China Plains,

Abstract:

Most migratory birds depend on stopover sites, which are essential for refueling during migration and affect their population dynamics. In the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF), however, the stopover ecology of migratory waterfowl is severely under-studied. The knowledge gaps regarding the timing, intensity and duration of stopover site usages prevent the development of effective and full annual cycle conservation strategies for migratory waterfowl in EAAF. In this study, we obtained a total of 33,493 relocations and visualized 33 completed spring migratory paths of five geese species using satellite tracking devices. We delineated 2,192,823 ha as the key stopover sites along the migration routes and found that croplands were the largest land use type within the stopover sites, followed by wetlands and natural grasslands (62.94%, 17.86% and 15.48% respectively). We further identified the conservation gaps by overlapping the stopover sites with the World Database on Protected Areas (PA). The results showed that only 15.63% (or 342,757 ha) of the stopover sites are covered by the current PA network. Our findings fulfil some key knowledge gaps for the conservation of the migratory waterbirds along the EAAF, thus enabling an integrative conservation strategy for migratory water birds in the flyway.

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Volume: 16 , Pages: 1147.

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16071147

Language: English

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Full reference: Jialin, L., Yifei, J., Aojie, Z., Qing, Z., Inlu, S., Yan, Z., Hong Z., Cai, L., Guangchun, L. & Li W. 2019. Bird satellite tracking revealed critical protection gaps in East Asian–Australasian flyway. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16: 1147. https://www.dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071147

Keywords: migration route, stopover, utilization distribution, Croplands, Northeast China Plains, Bohai Bay

Abstract:

Most migratory birds depend on stopover sites, which are essential for refueling during migration and affect their population dynamics. In the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF), however, the stopover ecology of migratory waterfowl is severely under-studied. The knowledge gaps regarding the timing, intensity and duration of stopover site usages prevent the development of effective and full annual cycle conservation strategies for migratory waterfowl in EAAF. In this study, we obtained a total of 33,493 relocations and visualized 33 completed spring migratory paths of five geese species using satellite tracking devices. We delineated 2,192,823 ha as the key stopover sites along the migration routes and found that croplands were the largest land use type within the stopover sites, followed by wetlands and natural grasslands (62.94%, 17.86% and 15.48% respectively). We further identified the conservation gaps by overlapping the stopover sites with the World Database on Protected Areas (PA). The results showed that only 15.63% (or 342,757 ha) of the stopover sites are covered by the current PA network. Our findings fulfil some key knowledge gaps for the conservation of the migratory waterbirds along the EAAF, thus enabling an integrative conservation strategy for migratory water birds in the flyway.

Literature type: Report

Language: English

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Full reference: Tolvanen, P., Øien, I.J. & Ruokolainen, K. (eds.) 2009. Conservation of Lesser White-fronted Goose on the European migration route. Final report of the EU LIFE-Nature project 2005–2009. , WWF Finland Report 27 & NOF Rapportserie Report No 1-2009.

Keywords: conservation, monitoring, EU-Life, annual report

Literature type: Rep.article

Language: English

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Full reference: Øien, I.J., Aarvak, T., Ekker, I.J. & Tolvanen, P. 2009. Mapping of migration routes of the Fennoscandian Lesser White-fronted Goose breeding population with profound implications for conservation priorities. , In: Tolvanen, P., Øien, I.J. & Ruokolainen, K. (eds.). Conservation of Lesser White-fronted Goose on the European migration route. Final report of the EU LIFE-Nature project 2005–2009. WWF Finland Report 27 & NOF Rapportserie Report No 1-2009: pp. 12-18.

Keywords: monitoring, EU-Life, annual report, Fennoscandian, satellite telemetry

Literature type: Rep.article

Language: English

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Full reference: Øien, I.J., Tolvanen, P., Aarvak, T., Litvin, K.E. & Markkola, J. 1999. Surveys and catching of Lesser White-fronted Geese at Taimyr Peninsula 1998 - preliminary results on autumn migration routes mapped by satellite telemetry. , In: Tolvanen, P., Øien, I.J. & Ruokolainen, K. (eds.). Fennoscandian Lesser White-fronted Goose conservation project. Annual report 1998. WWF Finland Report 10 & Norwegian Ornithological Society, NOF rapportserie Report No 1-1999.: pp. 37-41.

Keywords: conservation, monitoring, Fennoscandian annual, Russia, Taimyr

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: Gibier Faune Sauvage

Volume: 9 , Pages: 257-268.

Language: English

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Full reference: Nankinov, D. 1992. Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus) migration routes, wintering sites and conservation in Western Eurasia. Gibier Faune Sauvage 9: 257-268.

Literature type: Proceedings

Language: English

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Full reference: Rakhilin, V. 1972. Migration routes and the character of the passage of swans and geese in the far east. , Pp.172 in: Kumari, E. (ed.). Geese in the USSR. Proceedings of a conference Estonia, May 1970. Tartu, Academy of sciences of the Estonian SSR.

Keywords: migration

Number of results: 10