It's a party in the sky when the snow geese arrive! Traveling in from points north to the arctic tundra, snow geese move in flocks of thousands with a "the more the merrier approach" and loud honking. They may not break the sound barrier, but snow geese are the noisiest waterfowl. They will gather on large, open waters and fuel up in corn and other crop fields.
Their feeding frenzy goes on for hours. And so does the pooping! With quick digestion, snow geese can defecate up to 15 times per hour. Since they have adapted so well to foraging for leftover agricultural grains, snow geese populations have soared to historically high levels and threaten arctic nesting range habitat.
Snow geese come in two color varieties, or morphs, white and blue. The blue morph is more toned toward gray and are vastly outnumbered by white snow geese. Snow geese are also known for their black wing tips which are can be seen in flight as they spiral down to earth and take off again. The extra melanin that makes these feathers black, also provides extra strength.
Snow geese are popular with waterfowl hunters and provide food for bald and golden eagles. Their eggs are sourced by foxes, owls, ravens, bears and others.
Snow geese put on a great show for birdwatchers too! The surround sounds and sights have been described as being in the middle of a snow globe. Catch the snow geese in action at a wetland, river, or field near you this winter.
Recent Posts
