Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) — Facts, Habitat & Conservation

Acerca de

El ganso de las nieves es un ganso ártico que se presenta en dos morfologías de color: una forma blanca con las puntas de las alas negras y una forma azul-grisácea. Cría en la tundra ártica y migra en enormes bandadas al sur de Estados Unidos y México para pasar el invierno. Sus poblaciones han aumentado explosivamente en las últimas décadas, causando problemas de sobrepastoreo en la tundra.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Envergadura	82,4 cm	32.4 in
Peso	2561,0 g	90.34 oz

Identificación

Plumaje

White morph: pure white plumage with black primaries and pink bill and legs. Blue morph: dark blue-gray body with white head. Both morphs interbreed freely. 'Grinning patch' on bill. Sexes similar.

Habitat & Range

Breeds on coastal and inland Arctic tundra in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. Winters on agricultural fields, marshes, and coastal wetlands across the United States and northern Mexico. Forms enormous flocks.

🌿 Wetland 🌾 Grassland 🏖️ Coastal

Distribución geográfica

Breeds in eastern North America's boreal forest; winters on the Atlantic coast from New England to South Carolina.

Diet & Feeding

Grazes submerged aquatic vegetation and eelgrass in estuaries; also takes grasses and sedges on coastal grasslands.

Estado de conservación

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Comportamiento y reproducción

Nidificación

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 23-25 days. Fledging: 40-50 days.

Tamaño de la puesta

2-6

Sonido

Canto

A loud, nasal barking 'luk-luk' or 'kow-kow'. Large flocks create enormous noise during Arctic nesting and winter staging. Considered a noisy, conspicuous goose.

Taxonomía

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Orden	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Familia	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Anser
Especies	Anser caerulescens

External Databases

Preguntas frecuentes

What does the Snow Goose eat?

Grazes submerged aquatic vegetation and eelgrass in estuaries; also takes grasses and sedges on coastal grasslands.

Where does the Snow Goose live?

Breeds on coastal and inland Arctic tundra in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. Winters on agricultural fields, marshes, and coastal wetlands across the United States and northern Mexico. Forms enormous flocks.

Is the Snow Goose endangered?

The Snow Goose has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Snow Goose nest?

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 23-25 days. Fledging: 40-50 days.

What does the Snow Goose sound like?

A loud, nasal barking 'luk-luk' or 'kow-kow'. Large flocks create enormous noise during Arctic nesting and winter staging. Considered a noisy, conspicuous goose.

How big is the Snow Goose?

The Snow Goose has a wingspan of 82.4 cm, weight of 2561.0 g.

What order and family does the Snow Goose belong to?

The Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.