Bar-headed Goose
Anser indicus
LCLeast Concern
- Length
- 71–76 cm
- Family
- Ducks, Swans, and Geese (Anatidae)
- Order
- Anseriformes
Best months to see it
- JanJanuary: Best
- FebFebruary: Best
- MarMarch: Poor or no data
- AprApril: Poor or no data
- MayMay: Poor or no data
- JunJune: Poor or no data
- JulJuly: Poor or no data
- AugAugust: Poor or no data
- SepSeptember: Poor or no data
- OctOctober: Poor or no data
- NovNovember: Best
- DecDecember: Best
BestGoodFair
Overview
The bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) is a goose that breeds in Central Asia in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes and winters in South Asia, as far south as peninsular India. It lays three to eight eggs at a time in a ground nest. It is known for the extreme altitudes it reaches when migrating across the Himalayas.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Grasses, roots and grain.
How to identify it
- Pale grey goose with two black bars across the back of a white head
- White stripe down each side of the grey neck
- Orange-yellow bill and legs
Voice
Nasal honking calls in flight.
Where to see it
- Keoladeo and Pong Dam, India (winter)
Destination guides featuring this bird
Nepal
Jagdishpur Reservoir
A Ramsar-listed reservoir in the western Terai with large winter flocks of ducks and Sarus Cranes nearby.
- JJanuary: Best
- FFebruary: Best
- MMarch: Good
- AApril: Poor or no data
- MMay: Poor or no data
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Poor or no data
- OOctober: Poor or no data
- NNovember: Good
- DDecember: Best
India
Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur)
A small wetland park famous for wintering cranes, storks and waterfowl.
- JJanuary: Best
- FFebruary: Best
- MMarch: Good
- AApril: Poor or no data
- MMay: Poor or no data
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Poor or no data
- OOctober: Poor or no data
- NNovember: Good
- DDecember: Best
Range and habitat
Breeds alpine lakes in central Asia; winters to India and Myanmar.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Bar-headed goose
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
