Snow Geese are fascinating birds. They are one of the very few birds who
breed in the far north. Geese are able to stand extremely cold weather because ancient geese probably lived through the Ice Age. Goose feathers are good insulation not only for geese but for people, too. Their feathers, which are called "down," are used by people for pillows, blankets and clothing.There are two different kinds of Snow Geese: The Greater Snow Goose - Anser caerulescens atlantica and the Lesser Snow Goose - Anser caerulescens caerulescens. The big family of geese is called "Anatidae" which belongs to the tribe of swans and geese called "Anserini." The female is called a goose, and the male a gander.
The average length of a Snow Goose is 49 cm. (19 in.). Its average wing spread is 151 cm. (59 in.) Because The snow Goose's eyes are on the side of its head, the Snow Goose can see in almost a complete circle. The only "blind spot" is on the back of its head. The Snow Goose hears very well, but does not have a good sense of smell. It depends on its sight and hearing to get food. The way you can tell a Greater Snow Goose from a Lesser Snow Goose is by the bill. The Greater Snow Goose's bill is bigger and longer. Also, the Lesser Snow Goose goes through a phase of being "blue." Its feathers turn darker. Lesser Snow Geese change colors depending on which color will help them camouflage at different times of the year.
Behavior and Lifestyle
Snow Geese migrate in large flocks. When Snow Geese are about to migrate
south, they gather together in great numbers and honk loudly. They start
migrating south on a day in August shortly after sunset, from northern areas
of Asia and North America to southern U.S.A. and northern Mexico. When
migrating, they fly at about fifty miles per hour in a "V" shaped formation.
During the night, the stars help Snow Geese find their way.
Snow Geese nest in groups called colonies. The male guards the female and the nest from predators which are Arctic Foxes, hawks, and eagles.
Habitat
The Lesser Snow Goose breeds very far north. It breeds mainly in Wrangle
Island, which is in the southeast part of Alaska, near the gulf of Alaska; near
Siberia; on the northern coast of the Northwest Territories; and in areas on
the north and west side of Hudson Bay.
The Greater Snow Goose also breeds very far north. It breeds on the coast of Baffin Island, which is in the Northwest Territories on the Arctic Circle; on the north end of Ellesmere Island, which is very close to the North Pole, and on the west coast of Greenland. The Greater Snow Goose is one of the very few birds that breeds in Greenland.
The Snow Goose spends its winters in southern U.S.A. and northern Mexico. It spends its summers in northern areas of Asia and North America. The Lesser Snow Goose leaves its wintering grounds, which are in Texas, Louisiana and California, in February. The Greater Snow Goose used to spend its winters in the coastal marshes of North Carolina and Virginia. Now, it winters mainly in Delaware and Maryland around Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay because of the recent increase in the land being used to raise grain.
Mating and Reproduction
The Snow Goose looks for a mate during its second year of life. The mate is
selected during the time spent in the wintering areas. In the spring, the
couples mate and lay their eggs. Snow Geese can lay two to ten eggs at a time, but usually they lay four or five. They usually locate the nest within a few miles of the sea; on islands on big lakes near the sea, or along big lakes. The reason why they make their nests near the water might be because of the
Snow Geese are water birds and because they need to drink. The nests are
made of moss, grass, and willow. After the eggs are laid, the mother adds some of her down to keep the eggs warm. The female guards the nest. Some of the females never leave the nest and starve.
Without warmth, the eggs don't hatch. Of course, this doesn't always happen. If all goes well, the eggs hatch in about three weeks. A group of chicks is called a brood. Two weeks after the chicks or goslings are born, the parents molt. It might be because summer is coming and their feathers are too hot. During this process, the parents can't fly. By the time the parents finish molting, the goslings are old enough to fly with them.
Predators
The males always join together to drive away predators, like Arctic Foxes,
hawks and eagles. Because of this, the Snow Goose is the only bird in the
Arctic whose eggs aren't eaten by gulls and jaegers.
Food, & Eating/Hunting
The Snow Goose used to be fond of the roots of marsh plants such as cattail
and cordgrass. When Snow Geese land near farms, though, they prefer to
feed on waste crops and new shoots in agricultural fields. However, the
Snow Goose still eats mainly sedges, grasses, cranberries, salmon berries,
curlew berries, sea lettuce, eel grass, arrow grass and three square bulrushes
(roots and rhizomes).
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