A Ross’s goose has been spotted at the Marshside Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Reserve, according to The Bolton News, in the United Kingdom.
“There have only been about 30 wild Ross’s geese recorded in Britain,” said James Walsh, an expert in rare and exotic wildlife, per the outlet. The first recorded sighting was in 1970. These birds are more common in the Arctic for most of the year, though they spend winters in both Mexico and the United States. Sometimes, these birds show up in Britain when they get lost or off course during their migrations and end up flying with flocks of other kinds of geese.
According to All About Birds, the Ross’s goose is similar to the snow goose but significantly smaller. They sometimes flock with these other birds, though they can also form massive flocks of their own.
As the Arctic habitats of both types of birds have grown warmer because of toxins in the air insulating the planet, their populations have actually exploded. While they are very rare in Britain, they are getting less rare in other parts of the world.
This may sound like a good thing, but the National Park Service notes that animals don’t necessarily belong in places where their population flourishes. Too many of one kind of animal may push out others, for instance, which ends up lowering biodiversity. Since having more species means a better life for all, including more and thriving food species, we have to look at the bigger picture before we know if more Ross’s geese is necessarily a good thing.
Things like trail cameras can help us monitor how many species of wildlife are around. They can help us spot species that are becoming rarer and monitor their reproductive cycles.
If you care about promoting biodiversity, consider rewilding your own yard. Plant species matter, too, and projects like this can make it easier for endangered species to survive.
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