The Snow Goose has two color plumage morphs, white (snow) or gray/blue (blue), thus the common description as “snow goose” and “blue goose.”, The dark color of the blue morph Snow Goose is controlled by a single gene, with. The oldest Snow Goose on record, shot in Texas in 1999, was 27 and a half. This problem can be reduced by switching to steel shot or other non-toxic ammunition. (2000). In winter and during migration they also eat grains and young stems of farm crops, along with a variety of berries. But they aren’t always white and also have the name of blue goose. Snow geese mate with only 1 or 2 mates in a lifetime. They winter in regions on both American coasts as well as in some inland areas, frequenting open habitats like marshes, grasslands, marine inlets, freshwater ponds, and agricultural fields.Back to top, Snow Geese are vegetarians with voracious appetites for grasses, sedges, rushes, forbs, horsetails, shrubs, and willows. Within a few days they are able to maintain a constant body temperature on their own. Behavior. The creamy white eggs of Snow Geese stain easily. Back to top. In the late 1990s both Canada and the United States began to permit extra hunting to reduce Snow Goose populations. Lutmerding, J. After chicks hatch, families move to brood-rearing territories with a lot of grasses and bryophytes, including tidal marshes and wet areas near ponds. Accompanied by the male, the female chooses a nest site, typically sheltered among vegetation like sea-lyme grass or willows, along with rocks or small shrubs. They build nests on dry ground when possible—although, being close to melted snow, the site is often moist. Major nest predators of the Snow Goose include Arctic foxes and. Snow Geese are strong fliers, walkers, and swimmers (even capable of diving short distances when threatened). The male may leave the female to defend the nest herself for extended periods. Sibley, D. A. Here is some of what I have learned. The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds, birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation. The Snow Goose has two color plumage morphs, white (snow) or gray/blue (blue), thus the common description as “snow goose” and “blue goose.” The dark color of the blue morph Snow Goose is controlled by a single gene, with dark being partially dominant over white. They fly as far south as Texas and Mexico during winter, and return to nest on the Arctic tundra each spring. Snow Geese stay with the same mate for life, choosing an individual of the same color morph (white or “blue”) as the family members they grew up with. Snow geese are harbingers of the changing seasons. Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds. Mowbray, Thomas B., Fred Cooke and Barbara Ganter. Many taxonomic authorities placed this species and the other "white geese" in the genus Chen. Creamy white but easily staining to dirty gray. (2019). Snow geese feed differently than Canada geese, which is a reason they are considered to be more destructive. Snow geese start breeding roughly two to four years old and breed in colonies on north of the timberline in Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and the northeastern tip of Siberia. When choosing a mate, young Snow Geese will most often select a mate that resembles their parents’ coloring. Raftovich, R. V., K. A. Wilkins, S. S. Williams and H. L. Spriggs. Returning home from the marsh filled with Snow Geese gives me a chance to do some reading about them. Because Snow Geese nest in remote areas, their breeding colonies have suffered little impact from humans. The less protected the site, the heftier the nest: they range from 3 to 6.5 feet across. (2014). If you are ever are given a chance to see this in person, don’t let the opportunity pass you by. During migration and winter, they roost mainly at night and afloat. After 42 to 50 days they can fly, but they remain with their family until they are 2 to 3 years old. Version 1019 Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Bird Banding Laboratory 2019. They will rip out plants, such as winter wheat and rye, by the roots. People can sometimes tell what order the eggs were laid in, just by the color of the shells (the dirtiest shells belong to the oldest eggs). Pair bonds are usually formed in the second year, although breeding doesn’t usually start until the third year. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, USA. A Snow goose has a round body with very well-defined feathers. Females are strongly philopatric, meaning they will return to the place they hatched to breed. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). snow geese form 3 separate populations Eastern, Central, & Western. Their main activities are feeding and resting: they forage on foot and sleep while sitting, standing on one leg, or swimming. Snow Geese stay with the same mate for life, choosing an individual of the same color morph (white or blue) as the family members they grew up with. They … Snow Goose hunting in the eastern United States was stopped in 1916 because of low population levels. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA. They choose areas near ponds, shallow lakes, coastal salt marshes, or streams (including river islands), preferring rolling terrain that loses its snow early and escapes flooding during spring thaw. Within the first three weeks of hatching, goslings may walk up to 50 miles with their parents from the nest to a more suitable brood-rearing area. They use island sites or areas near to small ponds when those are available. Cool Facts The dark color of the blue morph Snow Goose is controlled by a single gene, with dark being partially dominant over white. Throughout much of the twentieth century management officials restricted hunting in the interest of conservation, but by the 1970s they switched to worrying about keeping goose numbers in check. They are blue when young and become white as they mature. The female sometimes starts several scrapes before choosing the final location. During spring and fall migration along all four major North American flyways, geese frequently stop in open areas like lakes, farm fields, protected freshwater and brackish marshes, sluggish rivers, and sandbars. About 400,000 Snow Geese are now hunted annually in the U.S. and Canada. The sight and sound of thousands of Snow Geese returning to the marsh from the fields where they have spent the morning feeding is almost beyond description. Grown-Up Goslings – All species of waterfowl have young that are relatively independent. The female incubates the eggs and nestlings, spending 21 or more hours per day on the nest, while the male stands guard to defend females and nest sites against predators and other Snow Geese. During migration and winter, they roost mainly at night and afloat. Donate Bitcoins: 1PijmZd8QTTzBXWBpnHLpzCgEJAv4piBBf, @ Richard Keller - With Me Photography - All Rights Reserved, 16 Interesting Facts about the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, 8 Interesting Facts about the Western Screech Owl. Enjoy the Post? Migratory bird hunting activity and harvest during the 2010 and 2011 hunting seasons. The snow goose (Anser caerulescens), consisting of both a white morph and dark morph (blue goose), is a North American species of goose, collectively with Ross's goose often referred to as "white geese" or "light geese."