From Opus

Chen caerulescens

Photo by richard bledsoe
Photo taken: New Mexico, USA

Foraging group showing Dark adults (R) and Juveniles (L).
Photo by Gary Clark.
Location: Bay City, Texas, USA

[edit] 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.

[edit] Distribution

Extreme northern Arctic in summer. Southern U.S. and Mexico, notably along coasts, but also at inland marshy reserves.

[edit] Taxonomy

Often put in genus Anser.

[edit] Habitat

Nests of Arctic tundra in large colonies. Migrates southward in winter to marshy areas with adjacent fields.

[edit] Behaviour

Highly gregarious; nest, migrate, and forage in large flocks. Noisy, especially on takeoff. Fly in large V formations.

[edit] External Links