Friday 27 November 2020

Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Anser ("goose") indicus ("of India")
Escapee Adult Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) at Thornham Harbour - November 2020

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 2-3kg  /  Length: 68-78cm  /  Wingspan: 140-160cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATEDIUCN Red List: Least Concern

A distinctive goose of Asia - it breeds on the high Tibetan plateau while Wintering in India. This migration also leads to one of it's other most noteworthy features - it is one of the most high flying of all bird species, crossing over the Himalayas of heights of around 6400m, with apocryphal stories of it being seen even higher. While there are feral populations in Europe, most if not all of the UK sightings of this bird are believed to be escapees from private collections, including this one seen associating with Greylag Geese in Norfolk. 

Related Species:
Family: Anatidae 
Genus: Anser
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - An escapee from pirvtae collections, possibly a feral breeder
 - A single bird associating with Greylags at Thornham Harbour

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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