Bean Goose
Anser fabalis
The Bean Goose is a rare but regular winter visitor to Britain, typically seen in small numbers from October to March, with the majority of sightings occurring in eastern and southern England. It can be found in a variety of wetland habitats, including estuaries, marshes, and farmland.
Field Identification Guide
Use these features to identify Bean Goose in the field.
The Bean Goose can be identified by its broad, dark brown head and neck, orange-yellow bill, and distinctive black barring on its breast and belly. Its pale grey-brown back and wings also help to distinguish it from other goose species.
The Bean Goose is slightly larger than a Greylag Goose, but smaller than a Swan.
The male Bean Goose has a pale grey-brown back and wings, with a broad, dark brown head and neck, and black barring on its breast and belly, with a white belly and pale grey-brown flanks.
Similar to the male, with slight variation in the intensity of the head and neck colouration, but generally indistinguishable.
The Bean Goose has a loud, honking call, often transcribed as a deep, nasal "ank-ank-ank" sound.
Bean Geese are grazing birds, feeding on grasses, leaves, and aquatic plants, and can often be seen in large flocks, particularly during migration and in winter. They are strong, direct fliers, often flying in V-formation.
The Bean Goose can be confused with the White-fronted Goose, but can be distinguished by its broader, darker head and neck, and the lack of a white forehead patch, as well as its orange-yellow bill, which is pinkish in the White-fronted Goose.
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