FKC

An uncomfortable looking Greylag Goose (Anser anser) at Whitlingham Country Park, Norwich, England. I initially thought the goose had a plastic pipe stuck around its neck. I later discovered that this was in fact a neck collar used to help monitor the movement of geese after their annual moult. Although, marking birds provides important information about survival and movement it’s to the benefit of both the researcher and the bird itself that this is done in a way that does alter normal behaviour and is safe for the bird. I’m not sure what the goose thinks but I think the letters on the neck collar sum up the situation perfectly.