These handsome large geese have patches of chestnut-colored feathers around each eye, which give them a spectacled appearance.
Sexes are alike, but the females are somewhat smaller.
Males hiss and females make a cackling noise. Their staple diet consists of grass and herbs. But during the dry season, when their natural food becomes less attractive, they often visit cultivated areas and can cause considerable damage to drops. They also eat some worms and insects. Their staple diet consists of grass and herbs.