SNOW GOOSE

The 'Snow Goose' ('''Chen caerulescens''') is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The American Ornithologists' Union places this species and the other two "white" geese in the genus ''Chen'', while some other authorities place it in the more traditional "grey" goose genus ''Anser''. The larger of the two subspecies, the Greater Snow Goose (''C. c. atlanticus''), nests to the north of eastern Canada. The smaller subspecies, the Lesser Snow Goose (''C. c. caerulescens''), commonly occurs in two plumage variants. White-morph birds are white except for black wing tips, but blue-morph geese have bluish-grey plumage replacing most of the white except on the head, neck and tail tip. White- and blue-morph birds do interbreed and the young may be of either morph. Blue-morph birds are rare among the Greater Snow Geese.
This goose breeds in northern Canada and the northeastern tip of Siberia, and winters much further south in the continent in the southern USA and beyond. This species is a rare vagrant to Europe, but a frequent escape from collections and an occasional feral breeder.
Snow Geese are rare visitors to the British Isles, where they are seen regularly among flocks of Barnacle, Brent and Greenland White-fronted geese. There is also a feral population in Scotland.
Snow geese migrate in large flocks, often visiting traditional stopover habitats in spectacular numbers. Their nests are usually located in a slightly elevated location on the ground, built with plant material and lined with down. They mate for life.
Snow geese mainly eat plant material found in shallow water or on land. Outside of the nesting season, they usually feed in flocks. In winter, snow geese feed on left-over grain in fields.
The population of Greater Snow Geese was in decline at the beginning of the 20th century, but has now recovered to sustainable levels. Snow Geese in North America have increased to the point where the tundra breeding areas in the Arctic and the saltmarsh wintering grounds are both becoming severely degraded, and this affects other species using the same habitat.

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References

External links

References

★ Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.

External links

★ US Fish & Wildlife Service

★ Snow Goose Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

★ The Nature Conservancy's Species profile: Snow Goose Learn more about the conservation of these geese

★ Picture Link: Snow Geese taking flight in Addison, VT

★ Snow Goose Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding

★ Snow Goose Chen caerulescens - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter