- Chen caerulescens
Foraging group showing Dark adults (R) and Juveniles (L).
Photo by Gary Clark.
Location: Bay City, Texas, USA
Photo by Gary Clark.
Location: Bay City, Texas, USA
Identification
- 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.
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. Southern U.S. and Mexico, notably along coasts, but also at inland marshy reserves.
Taxonomy
Often put in genus Anser.
Habitat
Nests of 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.
