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Highly gregarious; nest, migrate, and forage in large flocks. Noisy, especially on takeoff. Fly in large V formations. | Highly gregarious; nest, migrate, and forage in large flocks. Noisy, especially on takeoff. Fly in large V formations. | ||
====Diet==== | ====Diet==== | ||
| − | [[File:Snow_Goose_2_CT.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo © by {{user|Craig+Thayer|Craig Thayer}} | + | [[File:Snow_Goose_2_CT.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo © by {{user|Craig+Thayer|Craig Thayer}}<br />Green Valley, [[Arizona]], 31 December 2020]] |
Their diet is mainly vegetarian, consisting of roots, tubers, leaves, grasses, stems and seed heads from a variety of aquatic plants. They also eat grain in the winter time. | Their diet is mainly vegetarian, consisting of roots, tubers, leaves, grasses, stems and seed heads from a variety of aquatic plants. They also eat grain in the winter time. | ||
====Movements==== | ====Movements==== | ||
Revision as of 13:56, 2 January 2021
- Anser caerulescens
Identification
66–84 cm (26-33 in)
- Entirely white except black primaries
- Head and neck usually stained rusty brown
- Pink bill with grin patch
- Dark adults have black bodies with white necks and heads, juveniles dark all over. All intermediates possible.
Similar Species
Separating from Ross's Goose - Snow Goose has longer neck and bill. Ross's Goose has short neck and stubby bill that lacks grin patch.
Distribution
Extreme northern Arctic in summer. Winters in Southern U.S. and Mexico, notably along coasts, but also at inland marshy reserves.
Taxonomy
Photo © by Jones Stanley Jones
Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, Grayson County, Texas, USA, November 2017
Formerly placed in the genus Chen.
Subspecies
There are two recognized subspecies.[1]
- A. c. caerulescens
- Breeds and winters around the Pacific Ocean
- A. c. atlanticus
- Breeds and winters on land bordering western Atlantic Ocean
Habitat
Nests on Arctic tundra in large colonies. Migrates southward in winter to marshy areas with adjacent fields.
Behaviour
Highly gregarious; nest, migrate, and forage in large flocks. Noisy, especially on takeoff. Fly in large V formations.
Diet
Their diet is mainly vegetarian, consisting of roots, tubers, leaves, grasses, stems and seed heads from a variety of aquatic plants. They also eat grain in the winter time.
Movements
Migratory.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Dec 2017)
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Snow Goose. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Snow_Goose
External Links
