Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

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Burgers J., Smit J.J. & Van der Voet H. (1991) Origins and systematics of 2 types of the Bean Goose Anser fabalis (Latham, 1787) wintering in The Netherlands. ARDEA 79 (2): 307-315
During the period 1954-86, 13 064 Bean Geese have been ringed in The Netherlands. 12 176 geese have been distinguished into two types, based on shape and structure of bill and head only. The coloured pattern on the bills of 7347 adults has also been described and divided into four classes. A total of 1988 Bean Geese have been weighed and measurements have been taken. There is a clear evidence for the existence of the two subspecies. There are also considerable differences in the locations of recovery between the two types. The most striking difference were obtained from the recoveries within the supposed breeding season. Anser fabalis rossicus was almost exclusively recovered from the tundra-zone west of the Ural mountains. A. fabalis fabalis from the West Siberian Lowland, the supposed breeding area of A. fabalis johanseni.


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