Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Greater White-fronted Goose is a brown goose whose adults have a white patch around the bill and irregular black marks on the belly. Across much of the United States, it is easiest to find during spring and fall migration, especially west of the Mississippi. Many North American birders and hunters also call it a .

Appearance

Appearance: Adults are 25.2–31.9 in (64–81 cm) long, with brown bodies, orange legs, a pinkish-orange bill, white feathers around the bill base, and black belly blotches. Juveniles initially lack the white face and black belly marks.

Look-alikes

Greylag GooseAnser anser

A Greater White-fronted Goose is smaller and less bulky than most domestic Greylag Geese (Anser anser). Adults have a white band at the bill base and strong black belly blotches; Greylag Geese usually lack such heavy black belly marks and have a heavier bill.

Why they get mixed upGreylag-derived domestic geese can be brown and may show white around the face.

Canada GooseBranta canadensis

Canada Geese have a black head and neck with a white cheek patch and a black bill. Greater White-fronted Geese have a brown head, a pale bill, and white only around the bill base.

Why they get mixed upBoth gather in large flocks on fields and ponds during migration and winter.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: croplands
marshes and wetlands
lakes and ponds
Range: They breed across Arctic Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Eurasia. In the United States, large numbers migrate through the West and Great Plains, and many winter in California, Texas, and Louisiana.
Seasonal presence: migrant, winter resident, and Arctic breeder
Preferred conditions: They feed in open fields and wet meadows and rest on lakes, ponds, bays, and marshes.
Migration: Across much of the United States, migration is most visible from February through May and again from September through November.
When to see it: In the US
Present Feb–May, Sep–Nov

Behavior

Diet: They graze on grasses, sedges, other wetland plants, and waste grain in farm fields.
Social life: They travel and feed in flocks, often beside Snow Geese, Canada Geese (Branta canadensis), or Cackling Geese. Pairs and their young may migrate together, and family ties can last beyond one breeding season.

Life cycle

Nest: The female builds a shallow ground nest near wetlands, usually on a slightly raised, dry spot with a good view.

Name and classification

About the name: Named regional forms include the large, dark Tule Greater White-fronted Goose (A. a. elgasi) of Alaska and the Greenland White-fronted Goose (A. a. flavirostris), which has a brighter orange bill.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

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