{"id":851,"date":"2026-04-07T11:54:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T11:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/?p=851"},"modified":"2026-05-16T09:18:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T09:18:56","slug":"851","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/2026\/04\/07\/851\/","title":{"rendered":"Sighting of Greater White Fronted Goose (Anser Albifrons) After 6 Years in Chhattisgarh"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons<\/em>) are one of the few waterfowl species, and one of only two goose species with a circum-arctic breeding distribution [3]. This goose measures 66\u201386 cm in length. Adults of both sexes are similar in appearance, featuring a brown plumage with a distinctive white forehead patch extending from gape to gape (occasionally reaching the chin), a white-tipped pinkish bill, prominent heavy black blotches on the breast and abdomen, white tail and undertail coverts, and orange-yellow legs and feet. It is readily identified by its high-pitched honking call [7]. The East Asian population of the Greater White-fronted Goose was estimated at about 130,000 birds\u2014comprising roughly 33,000 in eastern China (mid-2000s), 30,000 in South Korea, and 70,000 in Japan\u2014based on mid-winter average counts from 2000\u20132004. However, recent data indicate substantially higher numbers in South Korea and Japan, though not in China, suggesting the current population likely exceeds 250,000 [8]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Japan and South Korea\u2014as in Europe\u2014Greater White-fronted Geese forage in agricultural habitats, primarily on spilt rice, winter wheat, and improved pastures. In eastern China, by contrast, they feed mainly on Carex sp. Generally, the geese target short swards of graminoid plants at the initial stage of growth, which offer the highest protein and lowest structural carbohydrates [8].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Greater White-fronted Goose overwinters in Pakistan, northern India, and Bangladesh, favoring expansive rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. In India, sightings occur sporadically across regions: northwest (e.g., Kachchh in Gujarat, Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan); northeast and Gangetic plains (Uttar Pradesh to Assam, Manipur, West Bengal); and central areas (Amravati in Maharashtra, Raipur in Chhattisgarh). [1].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Chhattisgarh state the first recorded sighting of Greater White Fronted Goose (Anser Albifrons<\/em>) was from Raipur district in 2019 Asian Water Bird census where single individual was observed with a flock of Bar-headed goose (Anser indicus<\/em>) [2]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MATERIAL AND METHOD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Nikon p1100 camera and Nikon D5600 with 70-300 mm lens was used to click pictures of the birds while keeping a safe distance to keep the birds undisturbed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

RESULT AND DISCUSSION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bird was identified as greater white fronted goose as its white patch at bill base and dark brown-black bars on pale belly were the prominent indicators and also missing yellow eye-ring which is present in lesser White-fronted goose helped us to distinguish it from the same [7].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six years after the previous record, Greater White-fronted Geese were sighted 140 km north of that location [2]. Observations occurred on 28 December 2025, 18 January 2026, and multiple times through 28 February 2026 along the ash dyke at NTPC Sipat (22\u00b0 5.64′ N, 82\u00b0 17.34′ E), Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the first date, three geese accompanied a Bar-headed Goose, Knob-billed Duck, pair of Northern Shovelers, 15 Gadwalls, and ~50 Ruddy Shelducks. The second sighting featured the same flock minus the lone Bar-headed Goose. Subsequent records showed similar assemblages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birds typically rested on the ash dyke or swam with Ruddy Shelducks, indicating expanded distribution and a passage route via central Chhattisgarh. Their ~2-month presence establishes this site as a wintering ground in central India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

REFERENCES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Ali. S, & S.D. Ripley (1987). Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan Vol. 1. Oxford University Press, New Delhi: 125-128.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    1. Bharos, A. M. K. & Shukla, Y. (2020). First sighting record of Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons from Chhattisgarh, India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 117: 143\u2013144.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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      1. Ely, C. R., Fox, A. D. & Alisauskas, R. T. (2005). Circumpolar variation in morphological characteristics of Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons. Bird Study 52: 104\u2013119.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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        1. Gayen, D., Sarkar, S. & Chakrabarty, M. (2021). [Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons in West Bengal]. Indian BIRDS 17(3): 93\u201394. (Publ. 8 July 2021).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          1. Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C., & Inskipp, T. (2011). Birds of the Indian subcontinent (2nd ed.), (p. 146,168,462). Helm Field Guides.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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            1. \u00a0Gupta, H., Gupta, R., Thakur, P., & Gupta, R. (2025). A colour-aberrant Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. Indian Birds, 21(4), 116.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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              1. Kumar, A., Sati, J. P., Tak, P. C., & Alfred, J. R. B. (2005). Handbook on Indian wetland birds and their conservation. Director, Zoological Survey of India. ISBN 81-8171-058-4, 105.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
                  \n
                1. Zhao, M., Cong, P., Barter, M., Fox, A. D. & Cao, L. (2012). The changing abundance and distribution of Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons in the Yangtze River floodplain: impacts of recent hydrological changes. Bird Conservation International 22: 135\u2013143. doi:10.1017\/S0959270911000542.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

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                  INTRODUCTION Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) are one of the few waterfowl species, and one of only two goose species with a circum-arctic breeding distribution [3]. This goose measures 66\u201386 cm in length. Adults of both sexes are similar in appearance, featuring a brown plumage with a distinctive white forehead patch extending from gape to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[56,55,54,53],"article-archive":[39],"class_list":["post-851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-original-research-article","tag-anser-albifrons","tag-ash-dyke","tag-chhattisgarh","tag-greater-white-fronted-goose","article-archive-volume-5-issue-1-2026","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=851"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":874,"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851\/revisions\/874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=851"},{"taxonomy":"article-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academicsociety.org\/zoologicalreports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article-archive?post=851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}