About Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis) Danube Delta
The Red-Breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis) is an endangered species across the world. The number of specimens has decreased drastically from 80 000 to 35 000.
This goose nests in Siberia, on the Taymyr Peninsula and it has settled its wintering headquarter at west from the Black Sea, in the Danube's Delta, right after 1960, because it finds enough food to pass the winter.
Its flying is energetic and fast. On its chest and on its neck it has feathers coloured in a variety of reds, from pure red to burgundy. Its head is beautifully decorated with a pattern and its backside is striped with black.
The Red-Breasted Goose is a gregarious species, which blends in Greater White-Fronted Geese flocks. This way, the Red-Breasted Goose becomes vulnerable, due to the fact that Greater White-Fronted Goose hunting is still permitted.
Lake Sinoe was the species' favourite area, but after the apparition of motorboats in the area, the geese moved to other areas.
The Red-Breasted Goose has a daily routine. During morning it flies towards feeding areas and by lunch time it will fly towards the water. During the afternoon it will feed again. In the nesting areas it will feed on weeds, but in Ukraine and in the Danube's Delta it prefers wheat crops and especially rape.
It has been noted a migration of the Branta ruficollis populations towards the west. Currently they can be found in Great Britain and in Hungary.