Fauna Flora Photography

Snow Goose Anser caerulescens

The Snow Goose is a North American species, a migrating bird, breeding in the northern part of Canada and wintering in southern parts of USA and Mexico.

Specs

Length75-100cm
Weight2.5-3.5kg male, 2-3kg female
Wingspan150-165cm

Common Names

GermanSchneegans
EnglishSnow Goose
FrenchOie des neiges
SpanishÁnsar nival

Taxonomy

OrderAnseriformes
FamilyAnatidae
SpeciesAnser caerulescens

How to Identify

Mostly white with black wing tips on the lower part. There is also a dark variant mostly black and only the head white. Some Snow Geese have a rusty stained head caused by minerals in the soil they are feeding on. Pink bill with black cutting edges.

Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) - Parc du réservoir Beaudet - 2018-11-04
Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) - Parc du réservoir Beaudet - 2018-11-04
Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) - Parc du réservoir Beaudet - 2018-11-04

Where and When to Spot

I was looking for Snow Geese for a while. They are not located in the Montreal area unless they are migrating through the area. Even during migration season rarely spotted here. The photos are taken at migration gathering site in Victoriaville in November.

Last updated on 2024-03-14. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.