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Description:
Bar-headed Geese are named for the two black bars that decorate
the back of their head. The rest of the head and sides of the neck are
white. The front and back of the neck are dark brown, and the rest of the
body is grayish. They have an orange beak and orange webbed feet.
Range:
Central Asia
Habitat:
Rivers, lakes, grain fields, and grasslands
Diet:
In the wild, they eat grass, wild grains, and grains from
crops. In the zoo, they eat grains such as milo, wheat, and corn, and
they also forage for themselves in their exhibit.
Life Cycle:
Bar-headed Geese breed near high-altitude lakes of the
Himalayan Mountains, arriving when the ice begins melting in March. Their
nests are mounds of moss, grass, and other vegetation, lined with
feathers. They usually lay 3-4 white eggs per clutch. Incubation lasts
28-30 days. As soon as the eggs hatch, the parents move the chicks to
open ground, or onto the water, where they are safer from predators.
Did You Know?
·
Bar-headed Geese are probably the highest flying birds.
They have been seen flying over the top of Mount Everest, more than 5 ½
miles up in the air.
·
They can survive almost any climatic conditions, including
very harsh winters.
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