Subspecies
Monotypic species
Genus
The waterfowl genus Anser includes all grey geese and sometimes the white geese. It belongs to the true geese and swan subfamily (Anserinae). The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with at least one species breeding in any open, wet habitats in the subarctic and cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in summer. Some also breed further south, reaching into warm temperate regions. They mostly migrate south in winter, typically to regions in the temperate zone. Numerous fossil species have been allocated to this genus. As the true geese are near-impossible to assign osteologically to genus, this must be viewed with caution. It can be assumed with limited certainty that European fossils from known inland sites belong into Anser. As species related to the Canada Goose have been described from the Late Miocene onwards in North America too, sometimes from the same localities as the presumed grey geese, it casts serious doubt on the correct generic assignment of the supposed North American fossil geese. The Early Pliocene Branta howardae is one of the cases where doubts have been expressed about its generic assignment.[citation needed] Similarly, Heterochen = Anser pratensis seems to differ profoundly from other species of Anser and might be placed into a different genus; alternatively, it might have been a unique example of a grey goose adapted for perching in trees.
Physical charateristics
At long range and in poor light, difficult to separate from other grey geese but noticeable length of dark head and neck, upright stance, and uniform upperwing in flight, characteristic. High head carriage, bulk, uniform dark plumage tone, lack of forewing contrast, rather long, deep orange-marked bill, and orange legs all diagnostic at closer ranges. Confusion with large, dark individuals of Pink-footed Goose possible, but Bean Goose never shows grey upperparts and differences in bare-part colours afford certain distinction of typical birds.
Listen to the sound of Taiga Bean Goose
[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/ANSERIFORMES/Anatidae/sounds/Taiga Bean Goose.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 140 | cm | wingspan max.: | 174 | cm |
| size min.: | 69 | cm | size max.: | 88 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 27 | days | incubation max.: | 29 | days |
| fledging min.: | 38 | days | fledging max.: | 29 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 4 | ||
| eggs max.: | 6 |
Range
Habitat
Reproduction
Incubation continues for 27-29 days and is performed by females and starts after the lat egg is laid. She covers eggs with down when she is leaving the nest. The young are hatching synchronous. The young are immediately Self-feeding. Both parents care for young in defending them against predators. When still very young the chickens are brooded by female at night.
The young fledge in about 40 days. Young remain with parents during the first autumn and winter, migrating with them in spring but will be independent before they return back to breeding grounds. Age of first breeding normally 3 years.
Feeding habits
Video Taiga Bean Goose
copyright: Neon Rosell
Conservation
This goose inhabits tundra or taiga in northern Eurasia. The birds visiting the European Union belong to two clearly distinct populationspossibly valid species. The birds of the race fabalis are breeding in the taiga, from Sweden to the Urals, and winter mainly in Denmark and the Netherlands. A few hundreds of individuals reach England. This population is currently estimated at 80000 individuals, and seems to be increasing but decreasing following Huyskens (pers. comm.). The second population comprises the birds of the race rossicus, breeding in the tundra of northern Europe, from the Kola Peninsula to the Urals, and wintering in central Europe, Germany and the Netherlands. During very cold winters it is reaching France, northern Italy and Spain. This population is estimated at 300000 individuals, but its trends are not well known
Migration
Distribution map
