White-Fronted Geese Flocking to Miyagi Wetlands for Wintering

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:29 JST, December 14, 2023

A flock of white-fronted geese flying above Izunuma pond at sunrise in Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, is one of the most famous sights in the area. The pond is known as one of the largest wintering stopovers for migratory birds in Japan, and the arrival of white-fronted geese is now at its peak. About 120,000 white-fronted geese stay in Izunuma pond and the adjacent Uchinuma pond each year, according to the Miyagi Prefectural Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Foundation. They will spend this winter eating fallen grains in the surrounding rice fields, then return to their breeding ground in Russia in February.