Snow GooseSnow Goose -- South Dakota Birds
| Length: 28 inches | Wingspan: 55 inches | Seasonality: Migrant |
| ID Keys: White morph has white body and wings with black primaries, dark morph have a white head and neck with a bluish gray body. Distinct "grinning patch" on the beak. Compare to Ross's Goose. | ||
Snow Goose
Chen caerulescens
Once considered two separate species, the Snow Goose and the Blue Goose are now considered white and dark morphs of one species, the Snow Goose. The two morphs readily interbreed and may produce offspring of either morph. Note Ross's Goose is very similar to the Snow Goose, with the primary difference being a smaller size for the Ross's. Hunted to extremely low populations by the start of the 1900's, huge migrations of Snow Geese now make their way through the state, stopping at traditional locations including the lakes around Lake Thompson in Kingsbury County and Sand Lake in Brown County. A photo of the dark morph is shown to the right. Check out the "additional photos" below for links to photos of both dark- and white-phase Snow Geese.
Habitat: In migration through the state, found on shallow lakes, marshes, and flooded fields. Often feeds on waste grain in agricultural fields.
Diet: Seeds, waste grain, leaves, roots, grasses, aquatic vegetation, berries.
Breeding: Non-breeder in South Dakota
Song: Snow Goose Song
Migrations: Summers in or near the Arctic Circle, winters in scattered locations through the United States and Mexico.
Similar Species: Ross's Goose. Click here for identification tips for Snow and Ross's Goose.
Status: The total population of Snow Geese was reduced to only a few thousand by 1900. It has made a tremendous comeback, to the point that overpopulation of Snow Geese on summer breeding grounds is causing localized habitat destruction.
South Dakota "Hot Spot": Thousands of Snow Goose regularly use Sand Lake in Brown County during migration to and from their summer breeding grounds.
Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Snow Goose
2) Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Snow Goose
Photo Information: November 17th, 2002 -- Near Lake Yankton below Gavin's Point Dam -- Terry L. Sohl
Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Snow Goose photos.
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| South Dakota Status: Common migrant with higher concentrations in the eastern part of the state. Rare in winter. |
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Click here for references used to compile this page
Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl
This page was last edited on 02/03/08
