Snow goose
Snow geese
The snow goose (Chen caerulescens or Anser caerulescens), also known as the blue goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name comes from its white feathers. Some authorities place this species in the Chen genus.[1] Other authorities place these species in the "gray goose" genus Anser.[2] In addition to a white phase they also have a blue phase.[3] In the white phase they are all-white except for their primary feathers which are black. In the blue phase the head and upper neck remain white.[3]
Subspecies[change | change source]
There are two known subspecies:
- Lesser Snow goose - Breeds in Alaska, arctic Canada and Siberia. In winter they migrate to western and southern USA and Mexico.[4]
- Greater Snow goose - It breeds in eastern arctic Canada and Greenland. It winters along the US Atlantic coast.[4] It is slightly larger than the Lesser Snow goose and has a heavier bill.[4]
Related pages[change | change source]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Kenn Kaufman, Lives of North American Birds (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001), p. 75
- ↑ Malcolm A. Ogilvie, Wildfowl of the World (London: New Holland Publishers, 2002), p. 38
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ducks, Geese and Swans, ed. Janet Kear (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 297–298
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 M. A. Ogilvie; Steve Young, Wildfowl of the World (London: New Holland, 2002), p. 38
Other websites[change | change source]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Snow Goose.
- Snow Goose Species Account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- The Nature Conservancy's Species profile: Snow Goose Archived 2016-07-15 at the Wayback Machine Learn more about the conservation of these geese
- Snow Goose - Chen caerulescens – USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter