Bar Headed Geese question

[pegasus]

I saw a Bar headed goose at Leighton Moss yesterday .[i had to consult the books when i got home as i'd never seen one before. Presumeably it is an escapee? [or have some escapees mated and bred in the UK?]

[aeshna5]

It's an Asian species which is unlikely to turn up here naturally, but it is very common in collections as it is an attractive bird + breeds well in captivity. There have been some free flying birds in west London for many years, probably from Kew Gardens as some of their birds are unpinioned.

They have bred on several occasions in the wild in the UK + small naturalised populations do occur in a small number of European countries such as Germany.