Bird Guide

Pink-footed Goose vs Snow Goose

Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)

Pink-footed Goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

Huge2.6 kgGrassland

It is a medium-sized goose, 60–75 cm (24–30 in) long, the wingspan 135–170 cm (53–67 in), and weighing 1.8–3.4 kg (4.0–7.5 lb). It has a short bill, bright pink in the middle with a black base and tip, similar in pattern to tundra bean goose but pink where that species is orange, and pink feet. The body is mid-grey-brown, the head and neck a richer, darker brown, the rump and vent white, and the tail grey with a broad white tip. The upper wing-coverts are of a somewhat similar pale bluish-grey as in the greylag goose, and the flight feathers blackish-grey.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Pink-footed Goose
Recorded by Bart Vastenhouw · Uncertain · Oostervallei, Vlieland, Friesland, Netherlands · CC BY 4.0
Photo: Kalvin Chan · CC BY 4.0
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

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Pink-footed Goose and Snow Goose.