The Bar-Headed Goose (Anser indicus) gets its common named from the two bars of brownish-black colored feathers that wrap around the back of its head. This goose has a light grey body, white on its face and neck, orange legs, and bill. Its feet are webbed and it has broad wings. Adults, on average, grow to lengths of 30in and weights of 4lb-6.5lb.
Female bar-headed geese lay 4-6 white eggs per clutch, the eggs require about 27 days to incubate. In the wild, bar-headed geese breed in Central Asia (southeast Russia, northern India and western China) and migrates over the Himalayas to over-winter in India and northern Burma.
Classification:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum Chordata
- Class Aves
- Order: Anseriformes
- Family: Anatidae
- Genus: Anser
- Species: Anser indicus
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Habitat: During the breeding season, bar-headed geese live near mountain lakes and prefer areas with short grass. In winter they seek out grazing areas that are cultivated, relying on wheat, barley and rice crops.
Range: Central Asia (southeast Russia, northern India and western China). Migrates over the Himalayas to over-winter in India and northern Burma.
Diet: Grass, wheat, barley and rice.
Status: Not endangered. Possibly increasing.
Sources:
- 'Bar-Headed Goose' (On-line), Sedgwick County Zool. Accessed October 24, 2005.
- 'Bar-Headed Goose' (On-line), Wikipedia. Accessed October 24, 2005.
- 'Bar-Headed Goose (Anser indicus)' (On-line), British Waterfowl Association. Accessed October 24, 2005.
