Swan Goose

Swan Goose (Anser Sygnoides) is a rare migratory goose from northern Asia, and wintering in China and some countries in the Far East. Having been domesticated, feral and escaped birds are often sighted among other swan and goose species in other countries where they were introduced.

Swan Goose, at Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur

These birds are long-necked, with greyish-brown upper body and maroon hind neck and cap. The underside is pale buff. Males are typically larger than females, and the juveniles resemble the female. They are usually found near water sources, and form small flocks outside the breeding season.

Around 60,000 to 100,000 birds exist in the wild, and they have been placed in the ‘vulnerable’ category by IUCN, where it was earlier categorized as ‘endangered’. Most of the world’s Swan Geese are found along the lower Yangtze river in China.

I photographed a pair of these birds in Bharatpur in August 2014. The male seems to have been injured near its bill, and the female (featured above) was keeping a close watch on him. I believe these must be feral birds or escapes, than migrants from China.