Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris rossicus

A few Tundra Bean Geese turn up here in Norfolk every winter, usually among Pink-footed Geese but sometimes on their own or with other species. Away from the Yare Valley this is by far the most likely of the two Bean Geese to turn up.

Tundra Bean Geese show significant variation in the size, shape and pattern of the bill, as well as in their overall size. Some individuals may be extremely difficult to separate from Taiga Bean Goose and any claim of the latter among Pink-footed Goose (or among groups of Tundra Bean Goose) warrants very careful scrutiny.

Orange-legged Pink-footed Geese are another source of confusion - Pink-footed Geese frequently have orange legs and these are sometimes erroneously claimed as Tundra Bean Goose. I've also seen orange-legged Greylag Geese (even more common) misidentified as Bean Geese due to a misconception that these normally pink-legged species cannot have orange legs.

Tundra Bean Goose (with Greylag Goose), Burnham Overy (Norfolk, UK), 4th February 2012

Tundra Bean Geese (with Greylag and Eurasian White-fronted Geese), St John's Loch (Highland, UK), 25th February 2012

Tundra Bean Goose, Sparham Pools (Norfolk, UK), 20th March 2009

Tundra Bean Goose (with Pink-footed Geese), Choseley (Norfolk, UK), 1st January 2020

Tundra Bean Goose, Bircham (Norfolk, UK), 9th December 2011

Tundra Bean Geese (with Pink-footed Geese), Sheringham (Norfolk, UK), 19th November 2011

Tundra Bean Geese, Hell Pit near Bittering (Norfolk, UK), 12th March 2016

Both Tundra and Taiga Bean Geese occasionally show pink bills rather than the usual orange. Such birds seem to be genuinely rare here in the UK but I get the impression they crop up more often in more eastern populations (can anyone confirm?). They also crop up among captive Bean Geese quite often - I'm not sure if that's because they are descended from eastern stock or if it's a mutation that is more likely to appear in captivity due to relatively limited opportunities to avoid in-breeding. Historically pink-billed Bean Geese (of both species I think) were recognised as a separate species, Sushkin's Goose Anser neglectus, and even though we now know better, the pink-billed individuals are still sometimes known as 'Sushkin's' Bean Goose. I had put these captive 'Sushkin's' Bean Geese down as Tundra Bean Geese, but looking at the photos now they seem rather long-billed, so I wonder if I may have made a mistake here?

captive 'Sushkin's' Bean Geese, private collection at Wereham (Norfolk, UK), 5th May 2017

The same collection also held this normal Tundra Bean Goose and a pair of the eastern race, Thick-billed Bean Goose.

captive Tundra Bean Goose, private collection at Wereham (Norfolk, UK), 5th May 2017

Tundra Bean Geese (with Pink-footed Geese), south of Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 6th December 2004

Tundra Bean Goose (with Pink-footed Geese), Burnham Market (Norfolk, UK), 19th January 2004

Tundra Bean Geese (with Pink-footed Geese), Choseley (Norfolk, UK), 3rd December 2014

Tundra Bean Geese (with Pink-footed Geese), south of Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 15th December 2004

Tundra Bean Goose (with Greylag Goose), St John's Loch (Highland, UK), 25th February 2012

Tundra Bean Goose (with Pink-footed Geese), south of Wells (Norfolk, UK), 2nd January 2009