Snow Goose: Bird Finder for December 19

Snow Goose
Chen caerulescens

What it looks like: Snow Geese are medium-sized, stout, short-necked geese, smaller than the common and familiar Canada Goose (almost a foot smaller). Most Snow Geese are almost all white with black wingtips, most easily seen in flight. However, there are some individuals that have darker plumage on their bodies, which are referred to as dark morph Snow Geese or sometimes colloquially called Blue Geese. These birds are all still in the species of Snow Goose, but like many animal species, there are different variants that have the same genetic makeup (think humans with varying hair color). Adult Snow Geese, regardless of their plumage color, all have pink bills and legs and their head plumage is all white.

Juvenile, or immature, Snow Geese have mostly gray plumage and dark gray bill color. As they mature into adults, which takes two to three years, they molt into increasingly more white plumage and their bill becomes increasingly pink.

Where to find it: Snow Geese have been found in fields around the state recently, including an immature Snow Goose hanging out with about 200 Canada Geese at Monhegan Park in Norwich; one adult Snow Goose (also with approximately 200 Canada Geese) at Bishops Pond along Research Parkway in Meriden; and four adults and two juveniles feeding in the fields of the Durham Fairgrounds. These six Snow Geese are likely related, as Snow Geese are known to migrate and forage together on wintering grounds. A pair of adults and a pair of juveniles were reported at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield.

How to find it: Snow Geese are migratory birds that breed on the Arctic tundra; we only see them in Connecticut in the late fall and winter. They forage on seeds, so are partial to farms and other fields. As mentioned earlier, they usually spend time in mixed species flocks, so if you see an area with Canada Geese, stop and scan with your binoculars, you may find one or a few!

What if it isn’t there: Some birders have been finding other uncommon goose species, including Greater White-fronted Geese, in similar habitats (one was seen yesterday with a Cackling Goose at the Goodwin Park Golf Course south of Hartford). You never know when it will be your lucky day!

Conservation status: The IUCN lists the Snow Goose as a species of Least Concern. Their populations are doing very well and have continued to increase in the past 40 years, which is probably because they are well-adapted to feed in agricultural fields.

This week’s Connecticut Audubon Society Bird Finder was written by Michelle Eckman, Connecticut Audubon Society’s director of education, and edited by Tom Andersen.

Photos by Alan D. Wilson, Carolinabirds.org.

Thanks to the Connecticut Ornithological Association’s daily CT Bird Report email for information on goose locations.