Bar-headed Goose

Pale grey overall body with white head and neck. Distinctive black bars across the back of the head (one across the crown and another lower down enclosing the eyes and nape). The back of the neck features a dark brownish-grey stripe. Sexes are similar in plumage.

White head with two black horseshoe-shaped bars, pale grey body, bright orange-yellow bill and legs.

Length: 71–76 cm, Wingspan: 140–160 cm, Weight: 2–3 kg

A loud, musical, honking or clanging call reminiscent of a goose or hound bark, often given in flight.

Herbivorous; feeds on grasses, roots, stems, and agricultural grains by grazing on land or dabbling in shallow water.

High-altitude lakes, marshes, and rivers during summer; lowland agricultural fields, wetlands, and lakes during winter.

Migratory; undertakes one of the highest altitude migrations in the world, flying directly over the peaks of the Himalaya mountains.

Nests on the ground near high-altitude lakes, usually on cliffs, rocky outcrops, or islands. Clutch size is typically 3 to 8 eggs.

Swan Goose and other grey geese, but immediately distinguished by the unique black bars on the white head.

Acts as a seed disperser and nutrient recycler in both alpine breeding grounds and lowland agricultural wintering sites.

Least Concern, with a stable global population trend.

Look for them in flocks grazing in agricultural fields or resting on open water bodies during winter months.

Bar-headed geese are famous for flying over the summit of Mount Everest during their migration between Central Asia and India, enduring extremely low oxygen levels.