Is a Blue goose a juvenile snow goose?
The “Blue Goose” is the dark morph of the Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens). I leave you with a video I shot of the dark morph Snow Goose bathing and preening with the juvenile preening at the end.
What is a snow goose activity?
Behavior. Snow Geese are strong fliers, walkers, and swimmers (even capable of diving short distances when threatened). Their main activities are feeding and resting: they forage on foot and sleep while sitting, standing on one leg, or swimming. During migration and winter, they roost mainly at night and afloat.
What goose has a black bill?
Snow Goose
Note that the Snow Goose has black primaries and a distinctive bill pattern.
What is a blue phase Ross goose?
Blue-phase Ross’ Geese could originate from back- crossing of hybrids and/or recurrent mutation. Genes for blue feather color were probably elim- inated from ancestral populations of Ross’ Geese and may presently be prevented from reestab- lishment in the gene pool by hunter and/or predator selection.
What is the difference between a Ross goose and a Snow Goose?
Besides absolute bill size, the features that seem most useful for distinguishing Ross’s from Snow and from potential hybrids are: faint or absent “grin patch” – Ross’s usually show a small and inconspicuous dark line, Snow Geese an obvious black oval.
Are blue snow geese rare?
Blue-morph birds are rare among the Greater Snow Geese and among eastern populations of the Lesser. Breeding: Long-term pair bonds (they mate for life) are usually formed in the second year, although breeding does not usually start until the third year.
How rare is a blue goose?
The percentage of Blue Geese in that specific flyway may be as high as 50%. In other regional flyways further west, the percentage of the Blue Goose mixed in with the Snow Goose flocks may drop as low as 10-15% or less.
What geese have black wings?
The snow goose is a medium-sized goose, rather thin-necked with a stout bill. It occurs in two colour forms, one all white with black wing feathers which are obvious in flight, the other white-headed with a blue-grey body and wings.
Why do Snow Geese get warts?
As a Ross’ Goose ages, it grows olive-gray warts over the base of the bill, unique to this species. The birds display these warts prominently when they confront each other, suggesting the warts serve to advertise their bearer’s status. Young birds of both species have smooth gray bills that gradually turn bright pink.
What is a snow goose?
The snow goose is a North American species of goose that is widespread and common. Their name comes from their bright white plumage, or feathers. However, some snow geese are gray/blue colored, and known as “blue morphs.”
What is the JSTOR number for snow geese?
JSTOR 4163840. ^ Coakley, Amber (3 March 2009). “Duck Duck Goose – Snow Goose”. Birders Lounge. ^ Johnson, Stephen R.; Noel, Lynn E. (2005). “Temperature and Predation Effects on Abundance and Distribution of Lesser Snow Geese in the Sagavanirktok River Delta, Alaska”. Waterbirds. 28 (3): 292. doi: 10.1675/1524-4695 (2005)028 [0292:TAPEOA]2.0.CO;2.
Are snow geese rare?
The snow goose is a rare vagrant to Europe but for a frequent escape from collections and an occasional feral breeder. Snow geese are visitors to the British Isles where they are seen regularly among flocks of brant, barnacle goose, and greater white-fronted goose.
When do snow geese breed in Canada?
Rare hybrids with the greater white-fronted goose, Canada goose, and cackling goose have been observed. Snow geese breed from late May to mid-August, but they leave their nesting areas and spend more than half the year on their migration to-and-from warmer wintering areas.