Snow Geese
Chen caerulescens
40.6373, -75.7235
Field Notes
Description:
A medium-sized goose that breeds on the arctic tundra, the Snow Goose travels south in very large, high-flying, noisy flocks. The swirling white of a descending flock suggests snow, but among the white birds are darker individuals. Until recently, the Blue Geese, as the dark birds were called, were considered a separate species. They are now recognized as merely a dark form (or "morph") of the Snow Goose.
Habitat:
Breeds on subarctic and arctic tundra, near ponds or streams.
Winters in coastal marshes and bays, wet grasslands, freshwater marshes, and cultivated fields.
Notes:
The dark color of the blue morph Snow Goose is controlled by a single gene, with dark being partially dominant over white. If a pure dark goose mates with a white goose, the offspring will all be dark (possibly with white bellies). If two white geese mate, they have only white offspring. If two dark geese mate, they will have mostly dark offspring, but might have a few white ones too.
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