Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifronsOrder: ANSERIFORMESFamily: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Breeding Location:

Grassland with scattered trees, Marshes, freshwater, Swamps

Breeding Type:

Monogamous

Breeding Population:

Common to fairly common

Egg Color:

Buff, creamy white or light pink. Nest stained.

Number of Eggs:

3 - 6

Incubation Days:

22 - 28

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Plant material and down.

Migration:

Migratory

Overview

Greater White-fronted Goose: Medium goose with dark-brown body. Underparts are barred and flecked with black; belly and undertail coverts are conspicuously white. Front of face has a white patch. Bill is usually pink. Legs are orange. Steady direct flight with rapid wing beats. Flies in V formation.

Range and Habitat

Greater White-fronted Goose: Breeds in Alaska, far-northern Canada, and Greenland. Spends winters from coastal British Columbia to California, in New Mexico, and along the Gulf coast in Texas and Louisiana; more rarely on the east coast and in the interior. Breeds on marshy tundra; winters on marshes and bays.

Breeding and Nesting

Greater White-fronted Goose: Three to six buff, creamy white, or light pink eggs are laid in a down-lined grassy depression on tundra. Incubation ranges from 22 to 28 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Greater White-fronted Goose: Feeds mostly on grass, sedges, aquatic plants, berries, and grains; occasionally eats insects and mollusks.

Vocalization

Greater White-fronted Goose: Call is a distinctive bark "kla-ha" or "kla-hah-luk."

Similar Species

Greater White-fronted Goose: Other geese lack irregular black spots on bellies and white patch at base of bills. Juvenile (which lacks these marks) has yellow bill, legs, and feet, distinguishing it from juvenile blue phase Snow Geese, which has dark bill, legs, and feet.

Bird database and its related content, illustrations and media is Copyright © 2002 - 2007 Whatbird.com
All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be reproduced without written permission from Mitch Waite Group.
Privacy Policy.

Percevia® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Greater White-fronted Goose

● Song: "kah-lah-aluek", " wah-wah-wah"

● Foraging & Feeding: Greater White-fronted Goose: Feeds mostly on grass, sedges, aquatic plants, berries, and grains; occasionally eats insects and mollusks.

● Breeding & nesting: Greater White-fronted Goose: Three to six buff, creamy white, or light pink eggs are laid in a down-lined grassy depression on tundra. Incubation ranges from 22 to 28 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Greater White-fronted Goose: Other geese lack irregular black spots on bellies and white patch at base of bills. Juvenile (which lacks these marks) has yellow bill, legs, and feet, distinguishing it from juvenile blue phase Snow Geese, which has dark bill, legs, and feet.

Flight Pattern

Steady direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Greater White-fronted Goose Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Greater White-fronted Goose: Breeds in Alaska, far-northern Canada, and Greenland. Spends winters from coastal British Columbia to California, in New Mexico, and along the Gulf coast in Texas and Louisiana; more rarely on the east coast and in the interior. Breeds on marshy tundra; winters on marshes and bays.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationCommon to fairly common

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight96 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America