Anser caerulescens
Snow Geese exhibit two distinct color morphs: white and blue. The white morph has a snow-white body with black wingtips, while the blue morph has a bluish-gray body with a white head. Both morphs have pink bills with a black 'grinning patch' and pink legs.
Juveniles of both morphs are gray-brown, gradually acquiring adult plumage over their first year. There is no significant difference between males and females in appearance, though males are slightly larger on average.
Length
69cm to 84cm
Wingspan
132cm to 165cm
Weight
2.05kg to 3.18kg
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
White Blue
Secondary Colour
Black
Beak Colour
Pink
Leg Colour
Pink
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Snow Geese breed in the high Arctic tundra of North America and eastern Siberia. During migration, they utilize a wide range of wetland habitats along their flyways. In winter, they are found in coastal marshes, wet grasslands, and agricultural fields.
In North America, large concentrations can be seen along the Atlantic coast, in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, and in California's Central Valley. They are also common visitors to parts of the central United States and southern Canada during migration.
Wild Snow Geese are rare in the United Kingdom, and less than a hundred are usually recorded each winter. They may turn up at Islay off Scotland’s west coast and the Loch of Strathberg in the northeast. There is, however, a small self-sustaining population in Argyll, with most wild birds escapees from captivity.
Sea level to 2,500 meters
Arctic, Temperate, Subtropical
This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Snow Goose. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.
A few things to keep in mind:
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