Belongs to: geese

Barnacle goose Branta leucopsis

Striking black-and-white goose; forming large flocks in favoured areas

Owes its name to the mediaeval myth that it did not come from an egg but from goose barnacles

Annual winter visitor to Britain from its arctic breeding grounds; feral populations also breed in the UK, including in Essex

Small goose with grey and black upperparts, black breast and neck, white face and black bill; 58–68 cm

Walks and grazes in fields, takes off and lands on water and ground; flight strong and powerful

In Essex, breeds on islands in inland lakes or in saltmarsh

Nest is a lined depression; one brood of 3–5 white eggs, June – July