Bar-headed Goose
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2008-07-03T15:04:47Z
TXiKiBoT
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robot Adding: [[cs:Husa indická]]
{{Taxobox
| name = Bar-headed Goose
| status = LC
| image = Bar-headed Goose - St James's Park, London - Nov 2006.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Anseriformes]]
| familia = [[Anatidae]]
| genus = ''[[Anser (genus)|Anser]]''
| species = '''''A. indicus'''''
| binomial = ''Anser indicus''
| binomial_authority = ([[John Latham (ornithologist)|Latham]], [[1790]])
| synonyms =
''Eulabeia indica''
}}
The '''Bar-headed Goose''' (''Anser indicus'') is a [[goose]] which breeds in [[Central Asia]] in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes. It lays 3-8 eggs in a ground nest.
==Life and habitat==
The summer habitat is high altitude lakes where the bird grazes on short grass. It suffers [[predation]] from crows, foxes, [[raven]]s, sea eagles and others. The total population may, however, be increasing.
The Bar-headed Goose [[bird migration|migrates]] over the [[Himalayas]] to spend the [[winter]] in [[India]], [[Assam]], Northern [[Burma]] and the wetlands of [[Pakistan]]. It migrates up to Magadi wetlands of Gadag district of Karnataka in the southern part of India. The winter habitat of the Bar-headed Goose is on cultivation where it feeds on barley, rice and wheat, and may damage crops.
The Bar-headed Goose is believed to be the highest flying bird having been seen at up to 10175 m (33,382 feet). It has a slightly larger wing area for its weight than other geese and it is believed this helps the goose to fly so high.
The bird is pale grey and is easily distinguished from any of the other grey geese of the genus ''[[Anser (genus)|Anser]]'' by the black bars on its head. It is also much paler than the other geese in this genus. In flight, its call is a typical goose honking.
It has sometimes been separated from ''Anser'', which has no other member indigenous to the Indian region, nor any at all to the Ethiopian, Australian, or Neotropical regions, and placed in the [[monotypic]] [[genus]] '''''Eulabeia'''''.
The Bar-headed Goose is often kept in captivity as it is considered beautiful and breeds readily. Records in [[United Kingdom|Britain]] are frequent, and almost certainly relate to escapes - however, the species has bred on several occasions in recent years and around five pairs were recorded in 2002 (the most recent available report of the Rare Birds Breeding Panel). It is possible the species is becoming gradually more established in the UK. The bird is sociable and causes no problems for other birds. The wild population is believed to be declining due to over-hunting.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) with Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) at Bharatpur I IMG 5647.jpg|With Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) at [[Keoladeo National Park]], [[Bharatpur]], [[Rajasthan]], [[India]].
Image:Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) Scape at Bharatpur I IMG 5651.jpg| Bar-headed Geese Scape at [[Keoladeo National Park]]
Image:Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus)- Preening & resting at Bharatpur I IMG 5672.jpg| Preening & resting at [[Keoladeo National Park]]
Image:Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) at Bharatpur I IMG 5666.jpg| At [[Keoladeo National Park]]
Image:Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) at Bharatpur I IMG 5637.jpg| At [[Keoladeo National Park]]
Image:Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) in beautiful formation at Bharatpur I IMG 5653.jpg|[[Keoladeo National Park]]
Image:Ba- headed Geese- Bharatpur I2 IMG 8254.jpg|[[Bharatpur]], [[India]].
Image:Bar-headed Geese- Bharatpur I IMG 8335.jpg| Flying off at [[Bharatpur]], [[India]].
Image:Bar-headed Geese- Bharatpur I IMG 8337.jpg|Flying off at [[Bharatpur]], [[Rajasthan]], [[India]].
Image:bar-headed.goose.slimbridge.arp.jpg|Bar-headed Goose ''Anser indicus'' at [[WWT Slimbridge|Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre]], England
Image:Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) grazing at Bharatpur I IMG 5630.jpg|At [[Keoladeo National Park]], [[Bharatpur]], [[Rajasthan]], [[India]].
</gallery>
==References==
*{{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=47146|title=Anser indicus|downloaded=11 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
==External links==
{{commons|Anser indicus|Bar-headed Goose}}
*[http://www.waterfowl.org.uk/default.asp?bodypage=bar.html Bar-headed Goose]
[[Category:Anser]]
[[Category:Geese]]
[[Category:Birds of Asia]]
[[Category:Birds of Pakistan]]
[[cs:Husa indická]]
[[da:Indisk Gås]]
[[de:Streifengans]]
[[es:Anser indicus]]
[[eo:Hinda ansero]]
[[fr:Oie à tête barrée]]
[[ko:인도기러기]]
[[it:Anser indicus]]
[[lt:Kalninė žąsis]]
[[hu:Indiai lúd]]
[[nl:Indische gans]]
[[ja:インドガン]]
[[no:Stripegås]]
[[pl:Gęś tybetańska]]
[[ru:Горный гусь]]
[[fi:Tiibetinhanhi]]
[[sv:Stripgås]]
[[th:ห่านหัวลาย]]
[[uk:Гірська гуска]]
[[zh:斑头雁]]