Which adaptation of the bar-headed goose hemoglobin allows them to effectively breathe at altitudes above 6000 m?
When bar-headed geese fly at very high altitudes (possibly over Mount Everest!), they breathe very thin air where the partial pressure of oxygen is very low compared to that at sea level. They are able to do this because they have a modified version of the hemoglobin protein.
What is special about the hemoglobin of bar-headed geese?
The hemoglobin of bar-headed geese has a higher affinity for O2 (whole-blood P50 of 4.0 kPa at pH 7.4 and CO2 tension of ∼5 kPa) than that of closely related lowland geese (5.3 kPa in greylag goose under the same conditions) (32), which increases pulmonary O2 loading and peripheral O2 delivery in hypoxia by increasing …
What do bar-headed geese eat?
Bar-headed geese are herbivores (graminivores, granivores) and feed mainly on grasses that surround lakes where they nest. They also eat corn, barley, rice, wheat, and occasionally will take mollusks, insects, and crustaceans.
Can bar-headed goose fly?
The bar-headed goose is famous for reaching extreme altitudes during its twice-yearly migrations across the Himalayas. These geese have been tracked flying as high as 7,270 meters up, and mountaineers have anecdotally reported seeing them fly over summits around Mount Everest (that are over 8,000 meters tall).
How do birds survive at high altitudes?
At these elevations, air has between 89 percent and 69 percent as much oxygen as at sea level. They collected a drop of blood from each bird, allowing them to study the birds’ hemoglobin—the molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the muscles.
How do birds deal with altitude?
Since flapping their wings saps energy, the birds glide once they reach cruising altitude. But they cannot coast indefinitely. Gravity pulls them down and they have to beat their wings to regain elevation. In addition, the birds have to battle freezing nighttime temperatures while flying high above the mountains.
What season bar-headed goose migrate?
Every year from March to April, bar-headed geese return from their wintering grounds to the breeding grounds at Qinghai Lake, and from September to November, reverse their journey, traveling on their autumn migration from breeding grounds to wintering grounds.
How high can birds fly before running out of oxygen?
Birds such as the Ruppell’s Vulture can fly up to 37,000 feet before it gets too tired to fly any higher. If birds find difficulty in breathing at extremely high altitudes, they will just fly lower and avoid dying from low oxygen in the blood, known as hypoxia, altogether.
How can geese fly at high altitudes?
Finally, geese flying over areas of high-altitude land (mountain ranges) make use of thermals, also known as vertical drafts or updrafts. Geese follow the terrain to make use of the buoyant updraft forces, reducing the energy they need to expend to stay in the air.
What plant grows at the highest altitude?
sandwort Arenaria bryophylla
The highest-altitude plant species is a moss that grows at 6,480 m (21,260 ft) on Mount Everest. The sandwort Arenaria bryophylla is the highest flowering plant in the world, occurring as high as 6,180 m (20,280 ft).
How do geese stay warm in cold water?
Another cold weather advantage for ducks and geese are their waterproof feathers and a layer of fat under their skin. The fat keeps them warm in cold water and their feathers keep them dry. This leaves the problem of warming their feet.
Why do bar-headed geese migrate to India?
In the autumn, the bar-headed goose migrates from its winter feeding grounds in the lowlands of India to its nesting grounds in Tibet. Like Olympic long-distance runners that train at high altitudes, the bar-headed goose develops mitochondria that provide oxygen to supply energy to its cells.
Where do bar-headed geese migrate from?
A significant proportion of the world’s bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) make biannual migrations between breeding areas in Mongolia, northern China and the Tibetan Plateau (latitude between 29°N and 37°N, mean elevation of 4800 m) and wintering areas in India, crossing the Himalayan mountains (along the southern edge …
How fast do eagles fly?
Bald eagle: 75 – 99 mph
Golden eagle: 200 mphRed-tailed hawk: 120 mph
Eagle/Speed
How high do Golden Eagles fly?
Eagles use rising air currents to soar high up in the skies. Depending on the species of eagle, they can reach a height of between 10,000 and 20,000 feet above sea level. From this vantage point, their keen eyesight allows them to scout for prey far below.
What makes the bar-headed goose unique?
Learn what else makes the bar-headed goose unique with this detailed fact sheet. Like all waterfowl, the bar-headed goose has a triangular, spatulate-shaped bill, and the bill is bright orange with a contrasting black nail.
Do bar-headed geese adjust to lower their O2 levels?
A number of studies from Dr William Milsom’s group have examined cardiovascular functional adjustments of Bar-headed geese ( A. indicus) and lowland species to decreasing levels of O 2 both at rest and during flight.
Bar-headed geese are herbivores (graminivores, granivores) and feed mainly on grasses that surround lakes where they nest. They also eat corn, barley, rice, wheat, and occasionally will take mollusks, insects, and crustaceans.
How high can a bar-headed goose fly?
Bar headed geese have been observed flying at 7,000 metres (23,000 ft). The bar-headed goose migrates over the Himalayas to spend the winter in parts of South Asia (from Assam to as far south as Tamil Nadu. The modern winter habitat of the species is cultivated fields, where it feeds on barley, rice and wheat, and may damage crops.