Bar-headed Goose

The Bar-headed Goose is very distinctive. Generally gray and white in appearance, it cannot be mistaken for any other goose either in terms of its physical characteristics, such as the shape of its skull, or its plumage. There is no sexual dimorphism, although in a pair one can distinguish the male by its slightly larger size than the female. The adult has the same plumage all year round. The head and sides of the neck are white with two horizontal black bars, which gave it its common name. The first bar is quite wide and short. It covers the back of the skull and connects the two eyes. The second one is longer and thinner. It is located at the bottom of the neck. The iris is brown. The yellow base beak becomes orange with a black nail. In profile, a white line runs down the dark brown to black neck. The chest, of the same color as the neck, becomes light gray towards the bottom. The abdomen and flanks are also light gray. These turn darker towards the back with the fringes of white feathers forming visible vertical stripes while standing. The lower abdomen and under-tail feathers are white. The back is dark gray, the scapulars are light gray with clear white stripes again formed by the fringes of the feathers. The primary and secondary remiges are light gray, the tertiary remiges are darker in the center. On the top of the light gray wings, the fringes of the large and medium coverts form thin pale lines, the inner primary and secondary remiges are black, and the external primary remiges are gray tipped with black. The underside of the wings is light gray on the coverts, the large coverts are gray with light tips, and the remiges are dark gray. The legs are yellow-orange. The complete moult takes place in June/July, generally 24 to 28 days after the hatching of the chicks.
The juvenile is similar to the adult but usually more dull. The blackish band descending on the nape is less clear and extends up to the crown, the two horizontal bands are absent. The feathers of juveniles being more rounded, no pale streak is visible on the body. Legs and beak are duller.
Hybridization cases exist in the Bar-headed Goose. In the wild, hybridization with the Graylag Goose is occasional. Some cases with the Brent Goose and possibly with the Eurasian Wigeon. In Europe, where the Bar-headed Goose has been introduced, hybrids are multiplied with the Canada Goose, the Barnacle Goose, the Swan Goose, the Dwarf Goose and the Laughing Goose. In captivity, it can hybridize with any kind of goose.