Lonely Snow Goose (1 Viewer)

[Kafen]

Hello! This bird has been hanging around our place for a few days now, just it, no company. I’m guessing it’s a Snow Goose but I’m not sure (Interior British Columbia, Canada for reference). I’m wondering if it got separated from the rest of its flock? I’ve never seen these in the area before and it’s wandering around by itself. It doesn’t look particularly injured, but I haven’t seen it flying either. Thoughts?

 

[Bewick]

I'm not sure I can help with the major question however you are correct in it being a juvenile snow goose.

Edit- from a bit of research- there can be a whole range of reasons why a goose can get separated from its flock, sadly it seems as if this can hugely impact the chances of the gooses survival. Hopefully the bird can join another flock of snow goose or perhaps even join a mixed flock. Maybe check on the bird from time to time just in case.

 

[Butty]

Clearly tame - so it's certainly not a regular healthy wild bird.

 

[KC Foggin]

You got a beautiful, detailed image of this Snow Goose!

Hi Kafen and a warm welcome to you from those of us on BirdForum!

Do you have a humane society near by you that could possibly pick it up and release it into a flock that might be near by? Good luck!

 

[Kafen]

Clearly tame - so it's certainly not a regular healthy wild bird.

Interesting, how do you figure that?

 

[Kafen]

You got a beautiful, detailed image of this Snow Goose!

Hi Kafen and a warm welcome to you from those of us on BirdForum!

Do you have a humane society near by you that could possibly pick it up and release it into a flock that might be near by? Good luck!

Thank you! There is a wildlife centre near me, but we’re right next to a Marina that is very popular with the migrating Canada Geese. I’ve never even seen a Snow Goose land for a break around here though.

 

[Indobirder]

It is not unusual to have a random snow goose or Greater White-fronted on it's own where I am in the Fraser Valley (BC) during winter, though mostly you find them hanging out with other geese. I wouldn't conclude tame or unhealthy from this picture.

 

[Bewick]

I think what Butty said is being misunderstood- he meant that the bird seems tame which means it’s likely a sick bird- and the fact that the image seems as if it was taken in close proximity is what lead him to that conclusion.

I don’t think he meant that he believes the bird is an escape.

 

[aeshna5]

I think what Butty said is being misunderstood- he meant that the bird seems tame which means it’s likely a sick bird- and the fact that the image seems as if it was taken in close proximity is what lead him to that conclusion.

I don’t think he meant that he believes the bird is an escape.

Nothing in this image indicates it's sick.

 

[Butty]

Nothing in this image indicates it's sick.

Proximity.

 

[aeshna5]

Proximity.

Disagree that on its own makes it sick. Juvenile birds can be much tamer & we don't know whether the OP took this from a hide? If I had a decent camera could possibly get similar shots of Pink-footed Geese at Holkham like this as they don't feel threatened there. Similarly a few years back there was an influx of White-fronts in south-east England including a number to London parks where they weren't skittish, perhaps due to the local feral geese being tame.

 

[Butty]

Disagree that on its own makes it sick.

Good job I didn't say that then 👍🏼

 

[aeshna5]

Good job I didn't say that then 👍🏼

But you did say it's not a regular healthy bird which implies it was sick.

 

[Bewick]

But you did say it's not a regular healthy bird which implies it was sick.

Its a juvenile goose, completely alone during migration- I think its not a stretch to call it 'not a regular healthy bird'.

 

[Butty]

you did say it's not a regular healthy bird which implies it was sick

Please...
1. Quote me correctly.
2. Read what I (actually) said in the context of the OP's description of the circumstances.
Thanks.

 

[aeshna5]

Its a juvenile goose, completely alone during migration- I think its not a stretch to call it 'not a regular healthy bird'.

So what do you mean by that phrase as this looks alert & pretty healthy? Lost perhaps, but not fitting that description in my book.

 

[aeshna5]

Please...
1. Quote me correctly.
2. Read what I (actually) said in the context of the OP's description of the circumstances.
Thanks.

Perhaps you ought to be a politician? I still disagree with your statement re-reading it.

 

[Butty]

Perhaps you ought to be a politician?

There's no need for personal attacks. Better to stick to the subject, please. Thanks.
So... you think it's...

a regular healthy wild bird

- despite the fact that it's of a wild and wary species and has been photographed at close range, on its own, at a site where there seems no potential for group-habituation. Fair enough

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

As this is a young bird , its behaviour on its own may be different from being in a flock. I have seen the same with first year greater whitfronted goose, where occasionally single first year birds that appeared healthy but had lost their flock were quite confiding.
Most were still wary towards humans, though...

 

[Kafen]

So I spoke with a local wildlife centre and the hope is that it will move on all on its own. I've seen it fly now just fine, so there's no injury. If it's still here when the snow flies and it doesn't have anything to eat, then they will step in at that point. There are quite a lot of people around here and my neighbour did feed it (not my idea), so you can get quite close. I shooed it towards the Marina but when we were right by the edge (with Canada Geese bobbing around down there) it took off back to its puddle in the parking lot. Not ideal, but what can you do. I hope some other flock will come across this way and it will hop in with them!