Fun Bean Goose Facts For Kids

Are they one? Are they different?

Who knows, but the Bean Goose is an interesting bird. Only two ornithological associations recognize two different breeds of these white, orange, and black species, whereas every other organization on the matter classifies the Taiga and the Tundra Bean goose as the same species. Which do you think is correct?

The Tundra Bean Goose is a well-known bird, though rarely seen outside of its habitat in North America and its winter breeding grounds. These birds also mate for life and will stay with their chosen mate.

But just because they look cute, does not mean you should approach them. These birds from North America have a rapid streak of aggressive behavior.

They will not hesitate to squawk and chase anyone who comes close, especially during breeding seasons. So read on to know all about these birds from North America and do not forget to check out others like the blue jay and greater flamingo.

Bean Goose Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Bean Goose?

Bean Goose is a type of duck.

What class of animal does a Bean Goose belong to?

Bean Goose belongs to a class of birds.

How many Bean Geese are there in the world?

Based on IPM studies, the Tiaga Bean Goose's population size was approximately 75,200 in 2020. They are rare, and not seen outside of their breeding season and in the winters in their wintering grounds.

Where does a Bean Goose live?

The Bean Goose lives in wetlands. They do their best in winter, and wintering grounds also are conducive to breeding. Though their wintering grounds require conservation since it is clear that this bird will not thrive in southern humid climes, and can only live well in winter and wintering grounds.

What is a Bean Goose's habitat?

Bean Geese can be found in the cooler biomes. These locations include marshes and lakes in the spring, especially in tundra and taiga habitats. Grassy pastures, grassy steppes, and other similar places are used as a Bean Goose habitat.

Who does Bean Geese live with?

The Bean Goose congregates in large flocks for most of the year, and many of these birds are possibly related. Geese mate 'assortatively,' with larger birds preferring larger mates and smaller birds preferring smaller mates; the male is typically larger than the female in any given pair.

How long does a Bean Goose live?

In suitable habitats, the Bean Goose's lifespan is estimated to be about 25 years.

How do they reproduce?

Bean Geese mate for life and their partners are chosen during their second winter. Courtships take place over several weeks while choosing a partner. This orange band species breeds once a year and normally raises its young in pairs.

Broods are occasionally raised by single parents. This discovery was inextricably linked to hunting; when hunting pressure was reduced, only 5-10% of Bean Goose babies were raised by a single parent. Bean Geese normally lay four to six eggs, which take 27-29 days to incubate.

What is their conservation status?

Taiga Bean Goose populations are currently unaffected by major threats, and Birdlife International lists it as a ‘Least Concern’ species. However, their habitats in North America, such as their breeding grounds and their homes for the winter, require conservation from human intervention.

Bean Goose Fun Facts

What does Bean Geese look like?

Each subspecies that belong to this species has a similar physical description, other than the bill coloration and size, as well as the length of the body. The biggest subspecies measures 75-90 cm in length, while the smallest measures 65-80 cm.

The Bean Goose wingspan of both subspecies varies from 140-190 cm. The average weight of females is 2.8 kg, while the average male weighs 3.4 kg.

The back and head are the same for both subspecies of ducks (Taiga Bean Goose ducks and Tundra Bean Goose ducks).

The head and back of all subspecies are brown, with a light tan neck and breast. The wing bow, breast, and thigh cover are all light brown to black with white bars on the belly.

White lines run along the back of the brown wing feather, forming bars. The color of the tail feathers is close to that of the wing feather.

This goose's legs are brown. These species' juveniles look like adults, but with a relatively low number of barring, and a lighter hue. The bills of most subspecies are subtly different.

The bill of Bean Goose ducks is black from the base to the top, with an orange band running down the middle; the leg and feet are also bright oranges. The white-fronted goose and lesser white-fronted goose have dark brown upper wing coverts.

How cute are they?

These Taiga Bean Goose ducks and Tundra Bean Goose ducks look adorable with their bright colors.

How do they communicate?

The Bean Goose duck, like other geese, has a noisy call. It's been described as an 'unk unk.' The Bean Goose is considered to have a lower deep squawk. Until now, nothing has been known about communication in this species.

How big is a Bean Goose?

The Taiga Bean Goose, which has an orange patch on its head, and the Tundra Bean Goose, which has an orange band on its legs, are two subspecies of the Bean Goose bird. This Northern European bird has a length of 27–35 in (68–90 cm) and a wingspan of 55–69 in (140–174 cm).

The average size of a Greylag Goose is 76–89 cm, with a wingspan of 58-71 in (147–180 cm).

The Pink-Footed Goose is 24–30 in (60–75 cm) long on average, with a wingspan of 53–67 in (135–170 cm). As a result, the Bean Goose is significantly bigger than the Pink-Footed Goose but smaller than the Greylag Goose.

How fast can a Bean Goose fly?

These Geese with orange legs are large birds that move quickly – over 30 mph – with strong wing beats rather than gliding like eagles or vultures. All of this flapping requires a lot of energy for such a large bird.

Geese put in a lot of work during their migration flights. Hummingbirds and geese are also capable of reaching similar top speeds.

How much does a Bean Goose weigh?

This dark brown bird weighs between 3.7-8.8 lb (1.7-4 kg) in its natural habitat. Taiga Bean Goose males weigh an average of 7.1 lb (3.2 kg) and females 6.3 lb (2.84 kg). The Tundra Bean Goose range in weight from 3.7-8.8 lb (1.7-4 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There is not any specific name for male and female birds.

What would you call a baby Bean Goose?

A gosling is a term used to describe a bean goose baby that is still covered in fuzzy, fluffy down feathers and is unable to fly. Since these chicks are precocial, they can quickly forage on their own and walk and swim well even at a young age.

Despite their independence shortly after hatching, goslings remain in a family flock for several weeks or months as they develop and mature, under the watchful eyes of their parents.

What do they eat?

Grass, roots, shoots, tubers, bulbs, nuts, leaves, branches, seedheads, and fruits of other herbaceous marsh vegetation are included in the Bean Goose diet. They will eat aquatic plants, agricultural grain, and potatoes (especially in the winter) if they are available.

Are they dangerous?

During the nesting and breeding seasons, geese are particularly aggressive, and they are often territorial. They can strike if they are harassed, and they can break bones when they reach someone.

Even if you don't see a nest, one may be nearby. If you come too close, a goose bird can protect itself by attacking you.

The majority of human attacks by geese result in minor to no injuries, but serious injuries can occur. Broken bones, head injuries, and emotional distress have all been recorded as a result of goose attacks.

Would they make a good pet?

Since ancient times, humans have kept domesticated geese as poultry for their meat, eggs, and down feathers. Domestic geese are the result of years of careful breeding.

Did you know...

It got its English and scientific names from the fact that it used to graze in bean field stubbles in the winter.

Goose birds are large to medium-sized geese that breed in northern Europe and Asia. Bean Goose migration to Europe and Asia for the winter.

The most noticeable economic effect of bean geese is the yield loss farmers experience during the winter months as a result of geese grazing on their fields.

Bean geese are hunted for both sport and food. Their feathers are used to make things like pillows.

When geese are fed, they become dependent on humans for food, which can result in starvation and death if the feeding is stopped. If they are to be fed, keep the amount small enough that they can manage their actual capacity to seek food on their own - assuming natural food sources are available, of course.

The Bean Goose's adaptations

Bean geese birds can be found in the colder biomes near marshes and lakes in the spring, especially in Tundra Bean Goose and Taiga Bean Goose habitats. This species with orange legs spends the winter in large fields (particularly agricultural land, for food), lakes, and marshes.

Identifying a Bean Goose

The bill of the Taiga Bean Goose is normally orange-yellow and low-lined in the field, and the head-bill combination is thus long and low-lined. The Tundra Bean Goose's head is rounder and darker than its body, and the bill is dark and thick.

Bean Goose identification can also be aided by size and shape, as Taiga Bean Goose is often larger and longer-necked than Greylag Goose.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including Fischer's Lovebird or the Kestrel Bird.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Bean goose coloring pages.