Likened to being in the middle of a snow globe, the biennial movement of snow geese to and from their high Arctic breeding grounds must represent one of the finest wildlife spectacles North America has to offer.
Migration occurs along precise migratory corridors, though the exact arrival and departure dates of these intensely social geese at a number of key staging posts is also dictated by a combination of cues such as light, temperature and food availability.
To catch these wondrous wildfowl at their noisiest and most numerous, a basic knowledge of the species’ ecology should be considered a prerequisite before heading into the cold.
What do snow geese look like?
There are two distinct subspecies – the greater and lesser snow goose – but collectively, the species can be identified by a snow-white plumage, contrasting strikingly with a pair of black wingtips. The goose’s appearance is topped off with a long, elegant neck and a sturdy pink bill, edged in black – giving it an almost grinning countenance.
What are the breeding habits of snow geese?
Usually pairing for life, snow geese are considered models of monogamy with established breeding pairs suddenly switching from supremely sociable to incredibly antisocial as soon as they hit the tundra. Initially, the male is employed as guardian of the nest site, his main job being to keep both predators and other snow geese at bay while his partner incubates the clutch.
But almost immediately after hatching, the three to five nidifugous (leaving the nest soon after birth) goslings will be up and running as the family unit heads off to rich feeding pastures. Concentrating on grasses, sedges and rushes, these voracious vegetarians are capable of consuming every part of the plant, including the tubers and roots.
With the breeding season confined to just a few weeks between late May and mid- August, the geese must carefully ‘synchronise watches’ to ensure they’re not snowed out upon arrival or left in the dark prior to departure.
Where do snow geese migrate?
Undertaking any long-distance migration is, of course, inherently hazardous. But for snow geese, heading for breeding territories that span the open tundra of Canada, Greenland, Alaska and even the north- eastern tip of Russia, it is a risk well worth taking.
These remote lands tick a lot of boxes when it comes to the business of bringing up goslings. Challenging conditions mean there is far less competition for the tundra’s resources and fewer terrestrial predators to worry about than in breeding habitats further south.
The wintering areas of snow geese include the Atlantic coast, the Mississippi River Valley, the Gulf Coast and California’s Central Valley. During spring and autumn, movement occurs along four main migratory flyways strung out at distinct intervals across the continent.
Travelling along these invisible lines in large flocks, the journeys both north to breeding territories and south to overwintering grounds are punctuated by regular stops that ultimately expand to fill more than half of the goose’s year. These key staging posts invariably feature agricultural areas for feeding by day and bodies of water for safely roosting at night.
When is the best time to see migrating snow geese?
The best time to catch the geese tends to be either at dusk, as they head back to roost with full bellies, or just after sunrise as the hungry hordes leave for breakfast. The blizzard of wings at both touchdown and lift-off can be a breathtakingly immersive experience, enhanced by the accompanying cacophony of honks, yelps and clucks.
Carrying across open landscapes, these vocalisations are vital for ensuring cohesive flock dynamics and serve to quickly convey messages such as ‘time to move on’, ‘all is well’ or ‘a predator is in our midst’. But for us humans, these goose utterances also signify another meaning – we’ve nailed the timing of our visit.
Where can you see migrating snow geese?
There are many places across North America where you can see snow geese.
- The George C Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Colombia – the Fraser-Skagit flock here is part of the Pacific Flyway population that nests on Wrangel Island in Russia.
- Platte River, Nebraska – a critical stopover for both snow geese and sandhill cranes as they head north each spring. Numbers of geese begin rising in February and may peak at about 500,000 by mid-March.
- Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri – a key staging post during spring and fall migrations – one survey in February 2023 counted more than 1.2 million snow geese in a single flock.
- Middle Creek Management Area, Pennsylvania – more than 200,000 geese can appear at this 160ha reserve during spring migration. Mid to late-February is often considered the best time to visit.
- Blackwater National Refuge, Maryland – a haven for geese migrating along the Atlantic Flyway, with numbers peaking in late winter. It’s also great for spotting bald eagles.
Are snow geese threatened?
Snow geese numbers have bounced back from a low ebb in the early 20th century to more than 16 million today. This causes a major headache for conservationists, as both overgrazing on their breeding grounds and habitat degradation along their flyways is impacting the delicate ecological balance of these landscapes.
