The Story
On March 28, 2018, I photographed this Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) at the Zhangye National Wetland Park in Zhangye, Gansu, China. It breeds in Central Asia in colonies near high mountain lakes and winters in South Asia. It is known for the extreme altitudes it reaches when it migrates across the Himalayas. It is much paler than the other grey geese in its genus. IUCN lists the species as Least Concern. The wetland park was set up for wetland restoration, wildlife conservation and ecotourism, with reed beds and constructed lakes in its inner area.
I used a Pentax K-1 and the HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW for this one, at 1/800 sec, f/9, ISO 200. Wetlands like this one are a stopover for migrating birds in the dry Hexi Corridor, and their protection depends on keeping water in the Heihe.
©2018 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) belongs to the family Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2018), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List
