The greylag goose Anser anser in the Leningrad oblast

Number of the greylag goose Anser anser in the Leningrad region and contiguous territories was constantly decreased from the first part of 20th century through intensification of human press on ecosystems.. By the end 1960s it ceased to breed in the Leningrad region, probably small centers of its reproduction remained in the southern Karelia and on the Lake Ilmen. In more western regions in 1950s about one hundred Graylag Goose couples remained to breed only in wetlands of the western Estonia, some couples of birds regularly bred on the southwest Finnish archipelago. From 1950s years increasing of graylag goose number had started in all Baltic region, as a result of improvement of Wildlife protection and reintroduction of birds in wetlands. Again nesting of the greylag goose in the Leningrad region noted since 1988. Nowadays it breeds on many islands of the Gulf of Finland, lakes Rakovye and Melkovodnoe on the Karelian Isthmus. Geese nest in the open shoreline landscapes with the gulls colonies, broods spend the largest part of time on open shallow waters. Molting aggregations of nonbreeding birds are formed here. The reserve of nonbreeding birds in the region assumes possibility of emergence of the new centers of reproduction, however it is considerably limited by a strong anthropogenous press on the majority of reservoirs and wetlands in the Leningrad region. Further expansion of geese in the region needs to increase of number of protected territories, limitation of spring hunting and reintroduction of artificially breeding pairs.