Bird Guide

Greater White-fronted Goose vs Snow Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Huge2.5 kgGrassland

Greater white-fronted geese are 64–81 cm (25–32 in) in length, have a 130–165 cm (51–65 in) wingspan, and weigh 1.93–3.31 kg (4 lb 4 oz – 7 lb 5 oz). They have bright orange legs and mouse-coloured upper wing coverts. They are smaller than greylag geese. The greater white-fronted goose is larger than and lacks the yellow eye ring of the lesser white-fronted goose, and its white facial blaze does not extend upwards so far as in the lesser.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Greater White-fronted Goose
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Call, flight call · Miniac-Morvan, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France · CC0
Photo: Hobbyfotowiki · CC0
Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)

Snow Goose

Anser caerulescens

Huge2.6 kgGrassland

The snow goose has two color plumage morphs, white (snow) or gray/blue (blue), thus the common description as "snows" and "blues". White-morph birds are white except for black wing tips, but blue-morph geese have bluish-gray plumage replacing the white except on the head, neck, and tail tip. The immature blue phase is drab or slate-gray with little to no white on the head, neck, or belly. Both snow and blue phases have rose-red feet and legs and pink bills with black tomia ("cutting edges"), giving them a black "grin patch". These colors distinguish the species from white domesticated geese.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Wilfredor · CC0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Greater White-fronted Goose and Snow Goose.