Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
Summary 3
This is a large-bodied grey goose with white under the tail, a white patch at the start of the beak, and orange beak and legs. Breeding across the tundra from Nunavut to Siberia, across Russia, and in Greenland, the Greater White-fronted Goose has one of the largest ranges of any species of goose in the world. In North America, however, it is common only west of the Mississippi River, where it is found in large flocks in wetlands and croplands.
As is true of many geese, Greater White-fronted Goose pairs stay together for years and migrate together, along with their offspring. White-front family bonds can last longer than in most geese, and some young stay with their parents through the next breeding season. Parent and sibling associations may continue throughout their lives.
A smaller, but very similar goose is found in northern Asia and Europe. It is known as the Lesser White-fronted Goose and is the reason the other is known as the "Greater." Other similar pairs are the Ross's and Snow geese and Cackling and Canada geese.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Rick Leche - Photography, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/64649343@N00/438971588
- (c) Cano Vääri, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/canoarias/16880981546/
- Adapted by Yukon Conservation Data Centre from a work by Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/27673828
More Info
Range Map
iNaturalist.ca Map
| Color | grey |
|---|---|
| Animal | Bird |
| Bird | goose |
