Listen to the Greylag goose
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the Greylag goose
The Greylag goose is a bird in the family Anatidae (order Anseriformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 155 cm and weigh around 3.2 kg.
What does the Greylag goose sound like?
Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once. Songs tend to be long and patterned and are used to hold territory and attract a mate; calls are short signals for contact, alarm and flight.
The recordings here are labelled as flight call and nocturnal flight call. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The greylag goose (Anser anser) is a species of large goose in the waterfowl family Anatidae and the type species of the genus Anser. It has mottled and barred grey and white plumage and an orange beak and pink legs. A large bird, it measures between 74 and 91 centimetres (29 and 36 in) in length, with an average weight of 3.3 kilograms (7 lb 4 oz). Its distribution is widespread, with birds from the north of its range in Europe and Asia often migrating southwards to spend the winter in warmer places, although many populations are resident, even in the north. It is the ancestor of most breeds of domestic goose, having been domesticated at least as early as 1360 BCE. The genus name and specific epithet are from anser, the Latin for "goose". In the USA, its name has been spelled "graylag".
Related birds in the genus Anser
More from the family Anatidae
Frequently asked questions
What does a Greylag goose sound like?
You can hear 3 recordings of the Greylag goose on this page, including its flight call and nocturnal flight call. Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once.
Is the Greylag goose endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Greylag goose as “least concern”.
What family does the Greylag goose belong to?
The Greylag goose (Anser anser) belongs to the family Anatidae in the order Anseriformes.
Sources & credits
- Flight call · Arnhem, Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands by Joost van Bruggen – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Greylag Goose (Anser anser) - Bærum, Norway 2021-04-03 by Ryan Hodnett – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Nocturnal flight call · Dresden, Dresden, Sachsen, Germany by Jens Loose – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q25882 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Greylag goose – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by W. Bulach – CC BY-SA 4.0