2.11 Red-breasted Goose ( Branta ruficollis )

2.11.1 Numbers and distribution

Red-breasted Goose has a geographically restricted range. It breeds on the Taymyr Peninsula and winters on the lowlands of , and (Figure 2.16). The range extends into the European Union in eastern Greece. Important staging areas have been identified in Kazakhstan.

The most important recorded sites for wintering Red-breasted Goose are in Bulgaria, where 55,845 were counted at the complex in January 1993, 17,733 at Lake in January 2000 and 16,860 at Mandra Lake in January 1997 (Table 2.19). In Ukraine, 13,500 were recorded in the Central Sivash in 2000 and 12,000 at Dnievstrovsky Liman in 2001. In Romania, highest recorded counts are 10,000 at Techirgiol in 1999 and 8,000 in the Delta in 1993. The Kustanay Region of Kazakhstan is a crucial autumn staging area, where the highest single count was 19,600 at Kulykol Lake in 1999. The key site in the European Union is the Evros Delta, Greece, where 750 were counted in 1997.

Table 2.19: Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis : Peak counts between 1990 and 2005 at sites in Europe, West and Central Asia where 10 or more have been recorded.

Country Sitename Year Count Type Ref. Azerbaijan Caspian Coast: Gyzylagach Nature Reserve 340 J 17 Bulgaria Shabla Lake Complex 1993 55845 J 17 Bulgaria Durankulak Lake Complex 2000 17733 J 17 Bulgaria Mandra Lake 1997 16860 J 17 Bulgaria Danube: - Toutrakan - Silistra 1998 1734 J 17 Bulgaria Lake (Vaya) 1997 860 J 17 Bulgaria Tzerkovski Tserkovski Reservoir 1997 450 J 17 Bulgaria Atanasovo Lake Complex 1997 380 J 17 Bulgaria Danube: Other Sites 1996 77 J 17 Bulgaria Black Sea Coast: Tulenevo 1993 71 J 17 Black Sea Coast: -Kamen Brjag Bryag -Tulenovo Bulgaria 1998 59 J 17 Bulgaria Black Sea Coast: -- 1999 48 J 17 Bulgaria Tzonevo Reservoir 1997 14 J 17 Bulgaria Piasachnik Reservoir 1997 12 J 17 Black Sea Coast: Kraimorie-Tchernomoretz Kraymorie- Bulgaria 1997 10 J 17 Greece Evros Delta 1997 750 J 17 Greece Kerkini 1997 18 J 17 Hungary Szabadszallas Szikes To = Kisret. Zabszek Knp 2000 33 J 17 Hungary Dinnyes Ferto 2000 25 J 17 Hungary Fulupszallas Szikes To = Kelemenszek Knp 2000 23 J 17 Hungary Geszt. Begecsi Halastavak 2001 12 J 17 Iran Gavekhoni Marsh 1994 750 J 17 Iran Tajan And Sarrakakhs Fishpond: Tajan River 1997 130 J 17 Iran Dasht-E-Moseian 1997 91 J 17

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Figure 2.16: Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Peak counts between 1990 and 2005 at sites in Europe, West and Central Asia where 500 or more have been recorded.

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Table 2.19 continued: Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis

Country Sitename Year Count Type Ref. Iran Dasht-E Akbar 1997 87 J 17 Iran Urmiyeh (Uromiyeh) Lake: Ghareh-Gheshlagh Marsh 2003 12 J 17 Iran River Dowereg 2003 10 J 17 Kazakhstan Kulykol Lake, Kustanay reg. 1999 19600 S 16 Kazakhstan Koybagar & Tyuntyugur , Kustanay reg. 1999 13800 S 16 Kazakhstan Small lakes west of Kurgaljin NR 1999 7600 S 16 Kazakhstan Ayke Lake, Kustanay reg. 1999 6100 S 16 Kazakhstan Batpakkol Lake, Kustanay reg. 1999 1500 S 16 Romania Techirghiol 1999 10000 J 17 Romania Delta Dunarii (Danube Delta) 1993 8349 J 17 Romania Lake Razelm 1992 8300 J 17 Romania Lake Sinoe (= Sinoie) 1992 2000 J 17 Romania Lakes Nuntasi And Tuzla 1999 620 J 17 Romania Razelm Ne 1994 600 J 17 Romania Lake Sinoe South 1991 300 J 17 Romania Razelm Nw 1999 300 J 17 Romania Lake Strachina 1999 188 J 17 Romania Leahova-Periteasca 1999 150 J 17 Romania Lake Murighiol 1994 85 J 17 Romania Babita (Babina) 1999 30 J 17 Romania Mahmudia 1999 30 J 17 Romania Tasaul 1999 18 J 17 Romania Golovita (Bisericuta-Gr. Lupilor) 1992 10 J 17 Taymyr, Gydan and Yamal Peninsulas: entire world Russia population 60000 B 37 Russia Lake Manych-Gudilo 2003 7000 J 17 Turkmenistan Amudarya Valley: Kerki-Karabekaul 1991 48 J 17 Ukraine M. Sivash 2000 13500 J 17 Ukraine Dniestrovskiy Liman 2001 12000 J 17 Ukraine Dzansheisky. Shagany; Alibey; Burnas Limans 1998 7000 J 17 Ukraine Sasyk Liman + Adjacent Sea Area 1995 2000 J 17 Ukraine Budaksky + Gribovsky Limans 1998 1500 J 17 Ukraine Lake Kitai 1995 1000 J 17 Ukraine Stencovskie Plavny 1999 815 J 17 Ukraine E. Sivash 2000 630 J 17 Ukraine Lakes Kagul.Kugurlui And Ialpug 1998 150 J 17 Ukraine Dnester Delta + Liman 1998 100 J 17 Ukraine Black Sea State Biosphere Reserve 1990 86 J 17 Ukraine Dnepro-Bugsky (Dneprovskij) Liman 1998 80 J 17 Ukraine Dzharylhatskyj Bay Area Iv 2000 75 J 17 Ukraine Kuyalnitsky Liman 1998 60 J 17 Ukraine Danube Delta 1998 55 J 17 Ukraine Area Northeast Of Odessa 1998 30 J 17 Ukraine Khadzibeisky Liman 1998 20 J 17 Ukraine Utl'Ukskij Liman 1991 12 J 17

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2.11.2 Red-breasted Goose movements

This species breeds in a limited area of northern Russia, mainly on the Taymyr, Gydan and Yamal peninsulas. It has a very restricted wintering range and has because of this been classified on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable.

The Red-breasted Goose has been ringed in very low numbers within Europe. Only four recoveries are available and one of these, ringed in the Netherlands, has been reported as shot on Yamal. The species changed its wintering range from about the 1960s from Azerbaijan westwards to the Black Sea coast Figure 2. 17: Map depicting the in Romania and Bulgaria. Small numbers of movements of Red-breasted Goose birds also winter in Ukraine and northern Branta ruficollis based on published Greece, in the latter area often in connection information and ring recoveries in the with hard weather. During recent years, a few EURING Data Bank. birds are reported from Comaccio/Venice area in northern Italy almost annually. It is believed that the majority of the population nowadays winter in the Black Sea area. The autumn migration follows narrow routes southwest through Russia along to the area north of the Caspian Sea and then westward to the Black Sea. Several staging areas are used during spring migration in Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan. Stragglers are regularly found in western Europe and the number observed seems to have increased after the shift in wintering areas.

June

August

October

January

Figure 2.18: Finding locations of all dead Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis in the EURING data bank. All birds are presented and also broken down by month 102