Barnacle goose chick numbers rise sharply in capital region

Barnacle goose chick numbers rise sharply in capital region

The number of barnacle goose chicks in Finland's capital region increased significantly during summer 2025, despite the total adult population remaining stable. The figures come from a joint monitoring programme led by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and BirdLife Finland. The survey, conducted at the end of July, counted 5,448 barnacle geese in Helsinki and eastern Espoo. Of these, 860 were chicks, accounting for 15.8 per cent of the observed population. The proportion marks a major increase from 9.2 per cent in 2024 and is the fourth-highest chick share recorded since systematic monitoring began in 2006.