Originally Posted by
sprint95m
Geese are Arctic breeders.
The various species that winter in the UK primarily come from Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland.
The trigger for their annual migration is the length of the day.
We are surrounded by Arctic seabirds that have managed to adapt enough to permit breeding here,
eg kittiwakes, fulmars, Arctic skuas, guillemots, razorbills, puffins, Arctic terns, etc.
It is difficult for us to comprehend, but the North Pole is the centre of their world.
Some of the geese that breed in Canada migrate to more southerly latitudes than the UK, but in the Americas.
The same is possibly true for the Siberian breeders wintering in Asia.
A fascinating book is "The Winter Birds" by M. Ogilvy. I got a copy for very little on ebay......