Portal to the Lesser White-fronted Goose

- by the Fennoscandian Lesser White-fronted Goose project

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: Wildfowl

Volume: 73 , Pages: 238–249

Language: English

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Full reference: Pokrovskaya, O., Sokolova, N., Erich, D., Gilg, O., Sokolov, V. & Sokolov, A. 2023. Globally threatened Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus nesting in association with Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus in southern Yamal, Russia. Wildfowl 73: 238–249

Keywords: breeding biology, nest association, nest protection, peregrine falcon, Siberia, arctic

Abstract:

Knowledge about the breeding biology and potential threats on the breeding grounds is important for conservation of threatened species. The main breeding range of the Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus (LWFG) forms a belt along the southern part of the Russian arctic and, although their main nesting habitat has been described based on observations of broods or pairs with breeding behaviour, only very few observations of confirmed nests have been reported. Since 2006, we have encountered 36 nests of this rare species in the Erkuta River basin (in the southern part of the Yamal Peninsula), described their nesting habitat and found that 71% of nests were associated with territorial Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus. Such a nest association, already described for other Siberian wildfowl, is assumed to increase the nest survival of LWFG in areas with high predation rates, but also raises indirect conservation concerns since the Peregrine Falcon is itself a rare species in many regions of Russia.

Journal: Tiirutaja

Volume: 62 , Pages: 8-9

Language: Estonian

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Full reference: Kalamees, A. 2023. Väike-laukhanedel oli edukas pesitsusaasta. [The Lesser White-fronted goose had a successful nesting year.]

Keywords: migration, breeding success, Norway, Estonia, GPS-tracking

Abstract:

Veel käesoleva aasta kevadel näitasid rahvusvahelise väike-laukhanede seire andmed Fennoskandia populatsiooni jätkuvat kahanemist. Viimasel viiel aastal on järjest vähem isendeid jõudnud tagasi pesitsusaladele Põhja-Norras. Madalseisu paljude põhjuste seas peetakse olulisemateks elupaikade kadumist, kliimamuutustest tingitud väga halba pesitsusedukust ja kõrget röövlust, jahipidamist ning põllumajanduslikust tegevusest tingitud häirimist.

Literature type: Thesis

Language: English

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Full reference: Markkola, J. 2022. Ecology and conservation of the Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus. , PhD thesis, Acta Universitatis Ouluensis. A Scientiae Rerum Naturalium 770. Faculty of Science, University of Oulu, Finland.

Keywords: spring arrival, Anser erythropus, Anser fabalis, breeding schedule, habitat, diet selection, meadow management, population genetic structure, Finland

Abstract:

I studied the rare and threatened lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus), abbreviated LWfG in 1989–1996 in sub-arctic Finnish Lapland (I). The studied subpopulation consisted of 2–15 breeding pairs annually. A total of 30 broods were observed with an average of 2.9 goslings per brood. The 1st year survival of tagged 10 geese was low. Satellite locations, recoveries and resightings were received from NW Russia, Kazakhstan and the Azov Sea area. Cold spells had a negative, and the sum of effective temperatures by 5 July a positive influence on reproduction. Habitat selection (II) was studied in the same area. LWfG preferred the vicinity of water, flat close-range landscape, low forest height and intermediate relative altitudes. LWfG aggregated in the vicinity of conspecifics within the preferred habitats. The averaged RSF model assigned observation and random points correctly with 83.4% success. Locations of historical observations of LWfG matched the predicted distribution of breeding sites. (III) Spring migration patterns on the Bothnian Bay coast of LWfG were examined in 1907–1916 and 1949–2014 and the taiga bean goose (Anser fabalis fabalis) in 1975–2014. Arrival of the short-distance migrant A. fabalis advanced more and earlier than the long-distance migrant A. erythropus, 10.9 days since late 1980’s vs. 5.3 days since the beginning of the 2000’s. In the LWfG, the best model for explaining variation in timing included global and local temperatures, in A. fabalis global and local temperatures and winter NAO. Increasing global temperatures seem to explain trends in both. In the spring staging places of the Bothnian Bay almost all dietary items of the LWfG were Monocotyledons, mostly grasses growing in extensive sea-shore meadows (IV). Only Phragmites, Festuca and possibly Triglochin palustris were preferred. Lesser White-fronts preferred extensive natural meadows. Mowing and grazing benefit the restoration of habitats. Genetic structuring of the LWfG was examined in its whole distribution area from Fennoscandia to East Asia (V). A fragment of the control region of mtDNA was sequenced from 110 individuals. 15 mtDNA haplotypes were assigned to two mtDNA lineages. Molecular variance showed significant structuring among populations: the main western in north-western Russia – Central Siberia, the main eastern in East Asia and the Nordic one, which earns a status as an independent management unit.

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: Land

Volume: 11 , Pages: 1946

DOI: 10.3390/land11111946

Language: English

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Full reference: Fan, R., Lei, J., Wu, E., Lu, C., Jia, Y., Zeng, Q. & Lei, G. 2022. Species distribution modelling of the breeding site distribution gaps of Lesser White-fronted Goose in Siberia under climate change. Land 11: 1946 https://www.dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11111946

Keywords: climate change, breeding sites, conservation gaps, species habitat conservation, Siberia, Russia

Abstract:

Climate change has become an important cause of the loss of bird habitat and changes in bird migration and reproduction. The lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus) has a wide range of migratory habits and is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. In this study, the distribution of suitable breeding grounds for the lesser white-fronted goose was assessed in Siberia, Russia, using a combination of satellite tracking and climate change data. The characteristics of the distribution of suitable breeding sites under different climate scenarios in the future were predicted using the Maxent model, and protection gaps were assessed. The analysis showed that under the background of future climate change, temperature and precipitation will be the main climatic factors affecting the distribution of breeding grounds, and the area associated with suitable breeding habitats will present a decreasing trend. Areas listed as an optimal habitat only accounted for 3.22% of the protected distribution; however, 1,029,386.341 km2 of optimal habitat was observed outside the protected area. Obtaining species distribution data is important for developing habitat protection in remote areas. The results presented here can provide a basis for developing species-specific habitat management strategies and indicate that additional attention should be focused on protecting open spaces.

Literature type: Scientific

Journal: Ornis Fennica

Volume: 97 , Pages: 1-18.

Language: English

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Full reference: Markkola, J.A. & Karvonen, R.T. 2020. Changing environmental conditions and structure of a breeding population of the threatened Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus L.). Ornis Fennica 97: 1-18.

Keywords: breeding, broods, mortality, hunting, migration, lemmings, voles

Abstract:

Migratory birds breeding at high latitudes face challenges in relation to timing of breeding vs. annual weather, climate change, and predator abundance. Hunting pressure along migration routes and wintering quarters forms an additional challenge.We studied population structure and interaction with environmental factors in a small population of threatened Lesser White-fronted Geese Anser erythropus, living in sub-arctic zone in Lapland in 1989–1996. Thereafter the population disappeared. The population comprised 2–15 breeding pairs plus 0–12 non-breeders, which left in June to moult elsewhere. 30 broods were observed (0–8 annually) with an average number of 2.9 goslings. Of the 3 satellite tagged plus 7 ringed geese at least 3were shot and altogether 4 killed during the first year. Only 2 were seen alive next year or later. Laying started on average 4 June (21May – 13 June) and hatching took place 2 July (21 June–10 July) with an intra-seasonal clutch size decline. Variation in nesting initiation was not explained by local phenology, but instead by the date of staging peak in the last pre-breeding staging area 600 km south. Reproduction was affected negatively by cold spells and positively by the sum of daily effective temperatures by 5 July. Vole populations were low and a real cycle missing. No effect of reindeer abundance or human presence on reproduction could be found.

Literature type: Report

Language: Swedish In Swedish with English summary.

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Full reference: Willebrand, T. & Willebrand, S. 2018. Utvärdering av Åtgärdsprogrammet för fjällgås 2011–2017. [Evaluation of the 2011–2017 Action Program for the Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus).] , Naturvårdsverket Rapport 6836. 26. pp

Keywords: captive breeding, reintroduction, red fox culling, monitoring, Sweden

Abstract:

This report is an external evaluation of the current Swedish Action Plan for the Lesser White-Fronted Goose (2011-2015, extended until 2017) and parts of the Lesser White-Fronted Goose Project, commissioned by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). The evaluation has come to the following conclusions: 1. The Lesser White-fronted Goose in Sweden is critically endangered and immigration from other populations, like the small Norwegian population, is not very probable. To secure the species from becoming extinct in in Sweden, larger resources are required than what is currently available in the system for action plans at SEPA. 2. An increased focus on breeding areas is recommended to obtain more data on predator activity, human disturbance and recruitment of released birds from the breeding program. 3. An increased control of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) population in the breeding area during late winter, and an evaluation of the optimal ratio of released to wild birds in the population, are two highly prioritized actions. 4. Establishing a systematic monitoring program including quality control will make estimates on population development more reliable. 5. Potential breeding areas, with special emphasize on the extent of grazing fields, should be surveyed in the proximity of the present breeding area to estimate the possibility of natural expansion into new areas. 6. The captive breeding and release is well organized and of high quality. (However, as stressed above, an estimate of the optimal numbers of released birds into the wild should be evaluated.)

Literature type: Report

Language: English

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Full reference: Morozov, V.V., Aarvak, T. & Øien, I.J. 2015. Satellite tracking of Lesser White-fronted Geese from the East-European tundra in Russia in 2014. , Norsk Ornitologisk Forening - Report 1-2015. 14 pp.

Keywords: satellite transmitter tracking, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, breeding survey

Literature type: Book Chpt

Language: English

Full reference: Saurola, P., Valkama, J. & Velmala, W. 2013. Lesser White-fronted Goose. Pp. 106-108 in:The Finnish bird ringing atlas. Vol.1. , Finnish museum of Natural History and Ministry of Environment, Helsinki - LWfG

Keywords: ringing, recoveries, recovery, occurrence, Finlnad, breeding

Literature type: General

Journal: Goose Bulletin

Volume: 17 , Pages: 23-25.

Language: English

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Full reference: Mineev, O.Y. & Mineev, Y.N. 2013. New breeding area for the Lesser White-fronted GooseAnser erythropus in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra. Goose Bulletin: 17, 23-25.

Keywords: Bolshezemelskaya tundra, Nenets, broods, breeding, peregrine falcon, Russia

Literature type: General

Language: English

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Full reference: Degtyaryev, V.G., Egorov, N.N., Ochlopkov, I.I., Oleinikov, O.B. & Tomshin, M.D. 2013. Lesser White-fronted Goose in the Lena and Olenek Rivers catchment, Siberia. Pp. 60-61 in Young, G, M Williams, B Hughes & C Hall (eds). 2013. TWSG News, Bulletin of the IUCN-SSC/Wetlands International Threatened Waterfowl Specialist Group, No. 16. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, UK.

Keywords: breeding, distribution, numbers, Siberia, status, Russia

Number of results: 44