Taiga Bean Goose

Seen one? Add it to your free UK BirdedexHear its song and see the mapFree, no app download. Rare bird: +8 points when you log it.

Taiga Bean Goose in the UK

Taiga Bean Goose is a scarce winter visitor and a full species (Anser fabalis) on the British List. Britain now has one regular flock, on the Slamannan Plateau in central Scotland. It peaked at about 300 in the 2000s and held about 170 in January 2026. The other traditional flock, in the Yare Valley in Norfolk, has collapsed: up to 450 in the 1990s, more than 100 in January 2013, 12 in February 2023 and none confirmed in winter 2025-26. That same winter brought an unusual influx to Scotland, northern England and Ireland.

Where and when to see a Taiga Bean Goose

The Slamannan Plateau, south-west of Falkirk, from late autumn to February. Birds feed on rough pasture and are wary, so scan from public roads and do not enter fields. In Norfolk, RSPB Buckenham Marshes and Cantley Marshes were the traditional Yare Valley sites, best from late November to January, but a visit there may now draw a blank. Elsewhere, check flocks of Pink-footed and White-fronted Geese on the east coast and in northern Scotland in cold winters.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Damp fields (winter).
Diet: Grass.
Field note: Long-billed; Slamannan + Yare flocks.

How to identify a Taiga Bean Goose

A large, dark, long-necked grey goose, close to Greylag in size but slimmer. The head and neck are dark brown, the back is brown with neat pale edges, and the legs are orange. The bill is long and slopes smoothly into a flat forehead, giving a swan-like profile. It is black at the base and tip with a variable orange band, often covering much of the bill. In flight the upperwing is dark, without the pale grey forewing of Greylag and Pink-footed.

Call and song

Quieter than other grey geese. The call is a deep, nasal, two-note "ung-unk", lower and more bassoon-like than the high "wink-wink" of Pink-footed Goose. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Tundra Bean Goose: Tundra Bean Goose is smaller with a shorter neck, rounder head and a short, deep bill that shows only a narrow orange band.
• Pink-footed Goose: Pink-footed Goose has pink legs, a small bill with a pink band and a frosty grey back and forewing.
• Greylag Goose: Greylag is bulkier and paler, with pink legs, a big all-orange bill and a pale grey forewing in flight.

Month by month

A winter visitor, typically in the UK from October through to February. Numbers peak in January. See the January birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in UK winter wildfowl.

Taller bars mean more birds about. Grey means it is usually absent.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Taiga Bean Goose is a Rare tier bird, worth +8 points when you log one. It is Amber-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern 5, the middle level of concern in the UK.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Tundra Bean GooseRare · Damp fields (winter)
• Greylag GooseCommon · Lakes
• Pink-footed GooseUncommon · Stubble
• Ross's GooseLegendary · Goose flocks
• White-fronted GooseUncommon · Wet meadows (winter)
• Snow GooseRare · Wet grassland (rare visitor)

Taiga Bean Goose: quick answers

Where can I see a Taiga Bean Goose in the UK?

The Slamannan Plateau in central Scotland is the only place with a dependable flock. The Yare Valley in Norfolk can no longer be relied on. Away from those areas, single birds and small parties turn up among other geese, mostly in Scotland and eastern England.

What is the difference between Taiga Bean Goose and Tundra Bean Goose?

Structure and bill. Taiga is larger, longer-necked and longer-billed, usually with more orange on the bill. Tundra is compact and short-billed with a small orange patch near the tip. Some birds cannot be assigned, and records away from the regular flock need good photographs of the head.

Is the Taiga Bean Goose rare in the UK?

Yes. The regular wintering population is now about 200 birds or fewer, and the UK winter index fell by 55% between 1998 and 2023. Birds also arrive later and leave earlier than they used to, with most present from November to February.

Kit that helps

Best spotting scopes for UK birding. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.