Tundra Bean-Geese have brown heads and a black bill with an orange band near the middle. Their throat and flanks have light brown barring, and their backs and wings have a dark brown barring pattern. Their rumps are white. Their legs and feet are orange.
While males and females look alike, juveniles have a yellow bill, dull orange legs, and indistinct barring on the flanks.
The Tundra Bean-Goose is closely related to the Taiga Bean-Goose and is still considered a single species by some authorities. The American Ornithological Society and International Ornithologists’ Union already recognize them as separate species.
Taiga Bean Goose has a longer beak with a broad orange marking, whereas the Tundra Bean Goose has a shorter beak with a smaller orange band on the bill.
- Anser serrirostris
- Length: 28 – 33 in (71 – 84 cm)
- Weight:120 oz (3401 g)
- Wingspan: 53 – 64 in (135 – 163 cm)
Range
Taiga Bean Geese are usually found in Europe, but they occasionally stray into North America.
Habitat And Diet
You can find Tundra Bean-Goose in the tundra, particularly during the breeding season. In winter, expect to see it in marshes, wet grasslands, lakes, and large rivers. They are also fond of farmlands where they freely associate with other geese.
The diet of Tundra Bean-Geese is grass, seeds, and small creatures in the wetlands, but in agricultural fields, they eat cereal grains, potatoes, and other crops.
Tundra Bean-Goose Call:
Nests
Nests of Tundra Bean-Geese are commonly found under tundra vegetation. Nests are made of lichen and down and placed in a shallow scrape on a dry hummock of moss. The female lays four to six eggs and incubates them for twenty-six days.
Fun Fact:
Tundra Bean-Geese are easily disturbed, so they prefer fields that are empty of grazing livestock.