Bean Goose

Anser fabalis middendorffii (Severtzov, 1873)

2015-04-19 VKO Katon-Karagay	© Vladimir Vorobyov

Description

The individual variability is little. The lower mandible is less strong and curved than in fabalis. Males' bill size: length 67-90 (76), height 32.6-37.6 (34.8), height of the lower mandible 7-10 (9) mm. Colour similar to fabalis. The colour of bill-strip and legs is always orange. Largest race, males' wing length 465-553 (496) mm.

Distribution

Probably nested on Markakol lake (Southern Altai) in previous years, but not recorded recently. Occasionally occurs during migration. each November to mid-December of last 10-15 years from 1 to 5 thousand birds stay on Kolzhat lake near the China border (but subspecies of these birds is not identified).

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.