The common goose, Anser anser domesticus, is a subspecies derived from the wild gray goose, obtained since ancient times as poultry for its meat, eggs and feathers.
It is the largest of the European species and is quite abundant in our country during the winter. At this time, our skies are crossed by a multitude of squadrons of these large birds, which arrive to the Peninsula after a journey of thousands of kilometers, fleeing from the very low temperatures that plague their breeding areas in northern Europe.
This subspecies of goose has an overall grayish hue, with the dorsal feathers edged with cream, giving this area a scaly appearance; the flanks are darker and barred with white lines.
In contrast to the rest of the plumage, the anal region shows a pure white color. The tail is white, with a dark band on the upper part.
Of rather robust appearance, the only difference between males and females is the larger size of the former.
The short, strong legs have a pinkish hue, while the beak – conical in shape – is orange in the anser subspecies and pink in the rubrirostris breed.
