Two types of White fronted geese occur in Britain, the most common being the Russian which winters in central and northern Europe and England, upwards of 80,000 birds, approximately half of the total European winter population now over winter in the Netherlands. The other is the Greenland race which winters in Scotland, Ireland and Wales although this race also appears on English estuaries. Both types are protected in Scotland but are classed as legal quarry for wildfowling purposes in England and Wales. Both have a prominent white frontal blaze at the base of the beak, the Greenland race having an orange bill while the Russian has a rose - red bill, juveniles and birds in their first season have a very pale grey - yellow bill. The under parts are well marked with bars of dark brown, the contrast between the pale forewing and darker hind wing is not as obvious as that of other geese. In flight they are slimmer winged and more agile than most "grey" geese and when viewed from beneath the juveniles lack the barring and white frontal blaze. The call of the White front is again an aid to identification, it is probably the most "musical" of the goose calls and has a yodelling type sound. The main diet of the Russian is grass on wet pastureland such as water meadows, the Greenland race shows a liking for more boggy areas where they feed on underground shoots of white beak sedge and other such vegetation. Families usually stay together during the first season and can often be seen grazing together on open fields and pastures.