barnacle goose

noun

: a European goose (Branta leucopsis) that has a whitish face and black breast and breeds in the Arctic

Examples of barnacle goose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At least a single barnacle goose spent most of the week in the fields off School Street in Acton, and a possible second barnacle goose may have been in Concord, but the timing of the two birds was not confirmed. Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Mar. 2023 Middlesex County: Two redheads at Fresh Pond in Cambridge, two northern shovelers, a barnacle goose, and a great cormorant at Horn Pond in Woburn, a Tundra Swan at the Heard Farm Conservation Area in Wayland, and 6 Gadwalls in the marsh beside Pelham Island Road in Wayland. Camilo Fonseca, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Feb. 2023 On this evening, the vixen arrived with a barnacle goose. Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2020 Life is harsh for barnacle geese, which must contend with Arctic temperatures and protect their young from predators like foxes by nesting on high ledges and cliffs. National Geographic, 28 Mar. 2019 Not uncommonly, a whole barnacle goose brood may be lost. National Geographic, 28 Mar. 2019 Then Mildred, a 24-year-old barnacle goose, wobbled painfully across the floor as veterinarians analyzed her gait. Karen Weintraub, New York Times, 29 June 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barnacle goose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barnacle goose was in 1668

Dictionary Entries Near barnacle goose

Cite this Entry

“Barnacle goose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barnacle%20goose. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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