Snow Goose

waterfowl · North America · migration

Two color forms. Snow geese can be either bright white or dark blue-gray, and scientists used to think they were completely different species. Now we know they're the same species, just with different colored feathers.

Named for white feathers. The snow goose got its name because many of them have white plumage that looks like freshly fallen snow. The darker blue-gray ones are sometimes called blue geese.

Native to North America. These geese live across North America and are well adapted to cold, northern environments where they breed and rest during long migrations.

Reclassified by scientists. Snow geese used to be placed in a genus called Chen, but scientists now group them with gray geese in the genus Anser based on new research.

Long-distance travelers. Snow geese are famous for their incredible migrations, flying thousands of miles between their Arctic breeding grounds and their wintering areas in the south.