Geese to be Found

While it is busy at Long Point/Port Rowan these days with blackbirds and we

still have numbers of Tundra Swans,  Graham thinks we should note the

Geese you can find down here. We’ve got Canada Geese and you do too but

let’s look at five other unique species.  

Cackling Goose

The Cackling Goose is a smaller version of the ubiquitous Canada Goose. In

2004 it became a new species when DNA work identified it as separate from

the Canada Goose.



Cackling Geese in flight.

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Brant


Brant (in background with ring around neck)
grazes with Canada Geese

This bird also looks like the

Canada Goose but is

much smaller. You can

easily find them on our east

and west ocean shores in

summer. 





Snow Goose

Unlike many species Snow Geese are increasing in numbers and are now

among the most abundant waterfowl on the continent. 

Adult and Immature Snow Geese swim with Canada Geese.

Ross’s Goose

When you see snow geese you could find the much smaller Ross's Goose

(a miniature version of the Snow Goose) among them.  It breeds in the central

Arctic and winters primarily in central California, but it is becoming more

frequent farther east.

Ross's Goose landing on rocks.

 

 

Greater White-fronted Goose

The Greater White-fronted Goose has one of the largest ranges of any
 
species of goose in the world and is seen more now east of the Mississippi

River. It can be consumed with barnyard geese.

Greater White-fronted Goose nests on the low tundra. 

All of these geese are passing through on their way to Arctic breeding grounds.

You can find more information on these species at either of these sites.

http://birds.audubon.org/species/cacgoo

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478