Bar-headed
Goose
Brantacanadensis
Photographed at Discovery Cove, Orlando, FL Mar 2011
The Bar-headed Goose is one of
the world's highest-flying birds, having been seen at up to 33,382 feet). It
has a slightly larger wing area for its weight than other geese, which is
believed to help the goose fly at high altitudes. Studies have found that they
breathe more efficiently under low oxygen conditions and are able to reduce
heat loss
The Bar-headed Goose migrates over the Himalayas to spend the
winter in parts of India. The bird can fly a 1000-mile
migration route in just one day as it is able to fly in the jet stream.
The bird has come to the
attention of medical science in recent years as having been an early victim of
the H5N1 virus, HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza), at Qinghai.
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