Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis, is a species of goose found in cropland, grassland, unvegetated or sparsely vegetated land and river and lake ecosystems. It has an entirely European distribution, breeding mainly in the far north, and wintering in north-west Europe. The species breeds in Arctic semi-desert tundra (fjellmark) on crags, rocky outcrops, cliffs, rocky slopes and coastal islands (Svalbard) near wetlands such as lakes, rivers, marshes, the upper parts of fjords, coastlines, wet meadows and mudflats. During the non-breeding season the species frequents tidal mudflats, saltmarshes and adjacent coastal meadows, with agricultural fields becoming increasingly more important as winter feeding areas (European Red List 2015).

Branta leucopsis has a breeding population size of 18600-38000 pairs and a breeding range size of 155000 square kilometres in the EU27. The breeding population trend in the EU27 is Increasing in the short term and Increasing in the long term. Branta leucopsis has a winter population size of 633000-804000 individuals in the EU27. The winter population trend in the EU27 is Increasing in the short term and Increasing in the long term.

The EU population status of Branta leucopsis was assessed as Secure, because the species does not meet any of the IUCN Red List criteria for threatened or Near Threatened, or the criteria for Depleted or Declining (the EU27 population or range has not declined by 20% or more since 1980).