greylag

English

A greylag

Wikispecies

Alternative forms

• graylag

Etymology

From grey (“colour”) + lag (“old name for a goose, derived from the call used to move such animals along”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹeɪlæɡ/

Noun

greylag (plural greylags)

1. A large grey European goose, Anser anser, with pink legs and dull orange beak.
   • 1967, Jeffery G. Harrison, A Wealth of Wildfowl‎^[1], page 150:

     Since the war, migrant greylags have virtually deserted the Duddon estuary, so it is a source of great satisfaction that the WAGBI greylags have taken to roosting on the sands in mid-winter, flighting to and from the reserve.

   • 2010, M. Owen, “Greylag Goose”, in Peter Lack, editor, The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland, page 74:

     Greylags used to concentrate on British estuaries, eating roots of rushes and sedges, as they do in other parts of their range.

   • 2012, Adam Watson, Ian Francis, Birds in North-East Scotland Then and Now, page 11:

     Earlier, 250 more had flown to Rattray beach, nearly all pinkfeet although I saw four greylags and heard others.

Synonyms

• (Anser anser): greylag goose

Translations

large European goose — see greylag goose

See also

• Anser
• Category:Anser anser on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• Gaygler, gargyle