Wildlifeof Thailand
Bar-headed Goose
Anatidae
Photo: (c) Andrew Bazdyrev, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Anser indicus
Basic stats
Diet
Grasses, sedges and crops
Habitat
High-altitude lakes, wetlands and winter farmland
Range
Central Asia; winters in South Asia
Clutch size
3–8 eggs
Size
68–78cm
Wingspan
140–160cm
The bar-headed goose is pale grey with two bold black bars across its white head. It breeds beside high-altitude lakes in Central Asia and migrates across the Himalayas to winter wetlands and farmland in South Asia. Flocks graze grasses, sedges and crops, resting on open water. Its high-altitude migration is supported by physiological adaptations for flight in thin air (Wikipedia, general species account). It is Nationally Least Concern (Thailand Red Data 2025).
Quick answers
- What does the Bar-headed Goose eat?
- Grasses, sedges and crops
- What habitat does the Bar-headed Goose live in?
- High-altitude lakes, wetlands and winter farmland
- Where is the Bar-headed Goose found?
- Central Asia; winters in South Asia
- How many eggs does the Bar-headed Goose lay?
- 3–8 eggs
- How big is the Bar-headed Goose?
- 68–78cm
- What is the wingspan of the Bar-headed Goose?
- 140–160cm