Snow Goose

Anser caerulescens

A symbol of the changing of seasons for many people, Snow Geese are striking and graceful waterfowl best known for their annual migrations in spring and fall.

Habitat 

Look for Snow Geese in summer on the arctic tundra in the far north of Canada and Alaska, near ponds, shallow lakes, salt marshes, and streams. During their migrations in spring and fall, you can find them in farm fields, marshes, slow rivers, and lakes. Winter takes them to parts of Mexico, and inland and coastal areas of the southern United States

Food 

Snow Geese eat grasses, sedges, rushes, and even some small shrubs. They will eat almost all parts of a plant, including seeds, stems, leaves, and roots. During migration, and over winter, they also eat farm crops like wheat, soybeans, rice, and corn.

Behaviour  

Mating for life, the female chooses the nest site and builds the nest. Typically on the ground among vegetation, it may have from 1 to 6 eggs. She will sit on them for 24 days. Once they hatch, they leave the nest to start feeding.  The male stands by to guard. Snow Geese come in two colour “phases or morphs”. “White phase” Snow Geese are all white with black wingtips. “Blue phase” Snow Geese have white heads, but brown bodies. Even more confusing, the offspring of each will be different colours too. White phase geese will have light gray young and blue phase geese will have dark gray young, leading to the same bird being four different colours!

Conservation  

At one time unregulated hunting brought Snow Geese populations to dangerously low levels. Hunting restrictions and bans were enacted to raise populations. Since then, Snow Geese numbers have grown. So much so that they are becoming problematic in their arctic homes. High numbers of Snow Geese feeding in the Arctic today is degrading not only their own habitat, but that of other nesting birds too. Oddly enough, hunting is now being used by wildlife managers to try and bring balance to current populations, but with regulations.

back