• 

  Profile

• 

  In flight

Waterfowl

Snow Goose

Anser caerulescens

• common
• 80 km/h
• Starter
• Least Concern

Flies in massive V-formations. Your message joins a convoy of thousands.

Population

~16 million mature individuals (increasing); BirdLife DataZone cites a 2020 estimate of ~15 million with continued growth since

Habitat

Breeds on low, grassy Arctic tundra near water bodies, north of the treeline; non-breeding habitat includes arable/agricultural fields, salt marshes, grasslands, lakes and ponds — largely avoids forested areas.

Fun fact

Snow Geese occur in two color morphs, white and "blue" (bluish-gray body with a white head), once considered separate species but now known to be genetic variants of the same species that freely interbreed.

Range

Native to North America (Arctic Russia/Chukotka also used by some breeders); breeds in Greenland, Arctic Canada, and Alaska; winters from coastal British Columbia and the northern/central U.S. south through the U.S. Gulf Coast and into Mexico.

Diet

Herbivorous — grazes on grasses, sedges, roots and rhizomes of marsh plants (especially on the breeding grounds), and waste grain in agricultural fields during migration and winter; food passes through its digestive tract quickly (as little as an hour or two).

Size

0.72 m

Wingspan

1.5 m

Lifespan

20 years