Snow goose grin patch

In going over some pictures, i think there is a hybrid snow x rosss goose mixed in. The ross goose is a small goose, similar in appearance to the snow goose. We noticed two small white geese in with a massive snow goose flock. Oct 25, 2004 it showed a dark green patch at the base of the bill and no sign of a dark grin patch at edge of the tomia.

Snow goose wildlife note pennsylvania game commission. White phase snow birds are dingy as juveniles but all white as adults with black primaries. Few birds have a true, prominent grin patch, but it is found in a variety of geese and swans, as well as several penguins. Snow geese are found in ponds, marshes, lakes, agricultural fields, open lawns, and along lake erie. The dark grin patch on the bill helps distinguish this lesser snow goose from the smaller, similarlooking rosss goose. The grin patch, however, was too narrow for snow goose, and besides, the birds were small with somewhat delicate rounded heads. The more abundant species in our valley and montana is the lesser snow goose or just snow goose.

Lacks a black grinning patch where the upper and lower mandibles meet. The best field marks are its smaller size, stubbier bill lacking the black grin patch and steeper forehead. Anser caerulescens snow goose animal diversity web. The two color forms mate with each other, and may produce young of either or both colors.

In addition to the widespread lesser snow goose subspecies, the greater snow goose subspecies appears similar but is slightly larger. The pellissippi goose had the classic field marks of a snow goose. In its snow phase, the snow goose s body is mostly white with black wingtips. Photos and videos for snow goose, all about birds, cornell. Snow geese have a much larger bill with a noticeable dark grin patch. You may also see dark morph snow geese, or blue geese, with a white face. The colors are not as bright on the feet, legs, and bill of immature birds. Snow goose lesser snow goose trumpeter red border on lower mandible yellow marking on the lore tundra whistling mute orange bill and black knob on forehead pink bill with black grin patch head profiles voice reports from wildlife watchers and sportsmen help wildlife biologists to. Very localized, but abundant where they occur, snow geese typically are seen in large numbers or not at all.

There are two phases seen in anser caerulescens called the snow phase and the blue phase. Snow geese have skyrocketed in numbers and are now among the most abundant waterfowl on the continent. The pink bill has a dark line along it, often called a grinning patch or black lips. Rosss goosesimilar to snow goose in shape and color but smaller in si7c, plumage in all ages have black wing tips primary feathers, bill pink, lacks black grin patch. Their size can range from 69 83 cm, with a wingspan of 1. The snow goose is similar in appearance to the smaller and far less common ross goose, but the snow goose has a grinpatch a dark patch on the side of. Rosss goose does indeed show a hint of a grin patch at the very least dark pigment where the mandibles meet. Feathered friends egrets, snow geese sightings enliven.

Hunting was allowed again in 1975 after populations had increased. The snow goose, anser caerulescens, is one of the worlds most abundant waterfowl species. They are considered to be the noisiest of all waterfowl. The white morph is snowy white with black wingtips. Among them, you might see a dark form with a white heada color variant called the blue goose. These gregarious waterfowl can form huge flocks on their own, and smaller numbers also join enormous flocks of snow geese. In the adult snow phase the body is a snowy white with black wing tips. The snow goose black wing tips unlike the white wings of the domestic goose. There are two subspecies of snow goose, the greater and the lesser snow geese, which vary in size. Steve points out that the very dark brown almost purplish body combined with blue snow goose like head pattern seems to be a fairly typical pattern for snow goose x canada goose hybrids, probably even when a white morph bird is the snow goose parent. The hybrid was small, but just a bit larger than the rosss goose.

Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Dec 07, 2011 in going over some pictures, i think there is a hybrid snow x rosss goose mixed in. Its bill was not quite so petit and triangular, but was still noticeably smaller and more triangular than that of a snow goose. The snow goose is similar in appearance to the smaller and far less common ross goose, but the snow goose has a grin patch a dark patch on the side of the beak that makes it appear to be open or grinning that the ross goose lacks. The reduced or absent grin patch on the bill and the more rounded crown of the rosss goose are evident as well in this photo by guide cory gregory. Appearance rosss goose anser rossii birds of the world. From tip of beak to back of head is about the same as length of neck. The snow goose has a larger bill compared to the rosss goose, and a large, dark grin patch. Rosss geese appear nearly identical to snow geese, but have a shorter bill with no grin patch. Populations have been growing so large that the geese are destroying nesting habitat. Snow goose identification, all about birds, cornell lab of. Sep 21, 20 the snow goose has a larger bill compared to the rosss goose, and a large, dark grin patch. Miniature version of snow goose with smaller body, shorter neck, and stubbier bill. Spring migration of all forms of the snow goose can be devastating to winter wheat and emerging pastures.

Snow geese are stocky, shortnecked with a large stubby pink bill with a grin patch black lips. Unlike the domestic goose, the snow goose has dark eyes vs. Choose from 500 different sets of bird ornithology names flashcards on quizlet. Polymorphic, the species occurs in two main color themes with many intermediate variations possible as well. The marks should be obvious in the image below with the rosss goose situated leftcenter. Longer bill than rosss goose, with distinctive dark grinning patch, bill. Click for photos cackling goose is split from canada goose in the 45th supplement to the aou checklist. If close study is allowed, the absence of the snow gooses grin patch on a much stubbier bill is helpful. The snow goose chen caerulescens comes in two morphs or color varieties. The legs and bills of snow geese are pink, with a black grin patch on either lateral edge of the bill. The best field marks when in the company of snow geese are body and bill size as seen in the accompanying photos. Like the snow goose, the ross goose has a light and dark morph, although the darkmorph ross goose is extremely rare. The snow goose has a pink bill and legs unlike the orange bill and legs of the domestic goose. They have red feet and legs, a pink bill, and a black grin patch the black patch of skin that surrounds the base of the bill, which resembles a smile.

Whitemorph genetic mutation birds are white except for black wing tips, but bluemorph geese have bluishgrey plumage replacing the white except on the head, neck and tail tip. The snow goose anser caerulescens, consisting of both a white morph and dark morph blue goose, is a north american species of goose, collectively with rosss goose often referred to as white geese or light geese. It showed a dark green patch at the base of the bill and no sign of a dark grin patch at edge of the tomia. Dec 23, 2010 snow geese have skyrocketed in numbers and are now among the most abundant waterfowl on the continent.

Photos rosss goose anser rossii birds of the world. The snow goose is also the size of a cackling goose. On all snow geese, a black patch on the edges of the bill suggests a grin or smile when viewed from the side. Snow goose this video is to help birders or hunters distinguish between these very similar geese. The head was rounder than the snow geese and the grin patch was there but smaller. Here, these 5 to 6pound snowwhite geese, with recognizable rosered feet and bills and blacktipped wings, gather en masse, filling the sky and blanketing the fields in living white.

All white with black flight feathers, pink bill with prominent black grin patch, and pink legs. Both these species have seen population explosions as climate change has warmed their arctic breeding grounds, reducing snow cover. In the first photo it is the tall bird standing behind a rosss goose in the centre and in the second photo its facing right with its neck hidden behind the tallstanding snow goose in the middle. Rosss goose often appears whiter than greater snow goose. Photos snow goose anser caerulescens birds of the world. Included under this heading is the blue goose, long considered a separate species, now known to be only a color morph of the smaller race of snow lesser snow goose. Serrations along the bill create the diagnostic grin patch that helps people distinguish the goose from the smaller related rosss goose. Watching huge flocks of snow geese swirl down from the sky, amid a cacophony of honking, is a little like standing inside a snow globe.

These are just what they would seem a nice mixture of snow and rosss goose traits on an intermediatelysized goose. The snow goose, including the blue morph subspecies, and the tundra swan both have distinct grin patches, and hybrids that involve one of these species often show a grin patch as well. It was clearly smaller than the snow geese, about the size of the larger of the two rosss geese, with a bill that was in between in size. Many taxonomic authorities placed this species and the other white geese in the genus chen. Short, triangular bill, much stubbier in appearance than snow goose, and lacking. Adults grow to about 38 inches in length with a wingspan of 59 inches. Snow goose ninnescah biology field station, kansas.

It differs from pure rosss goose in having a longer bill without a straight interface between the bill and feathering. A less common blue phase is dark gray with a white head and tail. They look like a small white snow goose but lack the black grin patch. Then i realized they all had grin patches and all lacked the grayish patch near the base of the bill. The smaller size and lack of grin patch help separate it from the snow goose. Steve points out that the very dark brown almost purplish body combined with blue snow goose like head pattern seems to be a fairly typical pattern for snow goose x. The immature blue morph is similar, but with a brownish head. There is a dark morph of rosss goose but it is very rare. In this comparison a smaller and stubbierbilled rosss goose is superimposed in front of a larger and heavierbilled snow goose. Culmen n 42 averages 40% shorter than greater snow goose n. A diminutive version of the familiar snow goose, rosss goose is also white with black wingtips but has a shorter neck and stubbier bill. They have red feet and legs, a pink bill, and a black grin patch the black patch of skin that surrounds the base of the bill, which resembles a. The snow goose chen caerulescens, also known as the blue goose.

Northeast goose finding tactics by alex lamoreaux nemesis bird. Note small grin patch, intermediateshaped bill, etc. The orange bill has a black grin patch which is useful in distinguishing it from the rosss goose. White morph snow geese are all white with black primaries and wing coverts, with a stout pink bill marked by a black tomial grin patch, and pink legs. The wing coverts are paler as well, as one sees in blue snow goose. Mar 23, 2014 they look like a small white snow goose but lack the black grin patch. The bill is pink and has a grin patch, a sharply curved border at the base of the bill. Snow goose identification, all about birds, cornell lab of ornithology. Ive seen plenty of snow goose rosss goose hybrids that look far more like a snow goose than this one. Snow geese are very similar to the white rosss geese chen rossi. The snow goose is similar in appearance to the smaller and far less common ross goose, but the snow goose has a grinpatch a dark patch on the side of the beak that makes it appear to be open or grinning that the ross goose lacks. Whistlingduck, goose, and swan photos bill schmoker. Probable hybrid rosss x snow goose goose, wray, colorado. A wide range of birds of intermediate plumage also exists.

Snow geese breed well north of the timberline in canada, alaska, greenland and siberia. Separating rosss and snow geese socalled white geese in the genus chen can. I find the two species very difficult to distinguish both are white with head shape and size important in identification. These loud, whiteandblack geese can cover the ground in a snowy blanket as they eat their way across fallow cornfields or wetlands. Snow geese announce their presence with shrill yelping calls likened to those of baying hounds. A dark patch along the cutting edge of the bill grin patch is an important field mark for the snow goose. It exists in two color phases, formerly regarded as separate species snow and blue geese. Their call has been described a as harsh, monosyllabic, descending whouk or higher heenk. Juveniles are slightly smaller than the adults, are grayer, and turn white with age. Snow goose hunting in the eastern united states was stopped in 1916 because of low population levels. Learn bird ornithology names with free interactive flashcards. Snow goose lesser snow goose trumpeter red border on lower mandible yellow marking on the lore tundra whistling mute orange bill and black knob on forehead pink bill with black grin patch head profiles voice reports from wildlife watchers and sportsmen help wildlife biologists to better understand swan population. This combination is highly variable, but show a thin snow gooselike grin patch and otherwise display the small, cute factor of a rosss goose. Rosss goose identification, all about birds, cornell lab.

It shows the big difference in size but if only one bird is present the much more. Note the short, triangular bill with bluish base and lack of a prominent grinning patch shown by snow goose. The black head and neck, white cheek patch, and brownishgray body are distinctive. Rosss goose similar to snow goose in shape and color but smaller in si7c, plumage in all ages have black wing tips primary feathers, bill pink, lacks black grin patch. Rosss goose identification, all about birds, cornell lab of. Characteristics black head, bill and neck brownishgray body white cheek patch snow goose and rosss goose snow geese have two color phases. Notice size and shape and the big grin patch along bill edge of the snow goose. Other goose species, including the rosss goose, have variable grin patches, but they are not always easily visible. Whitemorph birds are white except for black wing tips, but bluemorph geese have bluishgrey plumage replacing the white except on the head, neck and tail tip. Male snow geese are typically somewhat larger than females. Jul 09, 2014 the snow goose chen caerulescens comes in two morphs or color varieties. Rosss goose often migrates and winters in mixed flocks with snow geese, a very similar looking species.