Name That Goose!

Lift-off at Hagerman NWR, by Lee Hatfield

Geese have been arriving over the past few weeks to spend the winter at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and the huge flock, estimated this week at 10,000, is a popular sight for visitors there.   Here are two questions frequently asked, related to the geese, and answers to help identify the various species.

1.  “What do you mean Snow Goose or Ross’s Goose? They all look the same to me!”

That’s true, until you start looking more closely. Ross’s Geese are smaller than Snow Geese, but the relative size can be hard to distinguish when you are looking at a flock of a thousand or more white geese. Instead, look at the shape of the head and bill.

The Ross’s head is more rounded, with a stubby bill which appears thicker at the base. The border at the base of the bill is straight and vertical.  

Ross's Goose, by Rick Cantu

The head of the Snow Goose is more wedge-shaped, with a longer appearing bill. There is a black line between the upper and lower mandibles, or bill, known as a “grin patch”; the base of the bill is more curved that on the Ross’s.

Here are some memory cues – Snow Goose – sloping forehead; Ross’s Goose – round head.

Snow Geese, Blue Phase on left, by Rick Cantu

2.   “Okay, but what are those dark colored geese in with the ‘Snow Geese’”?

The dark colored geese with white heads are dark phase Snow Geese. These were once called the Blue Goose. They will not become white over time, but are a variation.  Dark phase is rare with Ross’s Geese.

A website that is helpful in learning these distinctions is http://www.sdakotabirds.com/diffids/snow_vs_ross.htm.

You may also see a small flock of grayish-brown geese with white foreheads alongside the white Snow and Ross’s geese; these would be the Greater White-fronted Geese shown below.

Photo by Dick Malnory

Next time you go out to see the geese, take your binoculars, or borrow some from the Visitor Center, so that you can take a close look at the head and bill shape and you will find that you can identify the different species!

The winter waterfowl at the Refuge will be the topic for both Youth FIRST, on December 7, and Second Saturday, on December 14, when Dr.  Wayne Meyer will give a presentation.  A guided tour, aboard a TAPS bus, along Wildlife Drive will be offered on both dates as part of the program.

For more information about activities at the Refuge, please check our website, http://www.friendsofhagerman.com . The official site for Hagerman NWR is http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Hagerman.

This post includes information from the post of December 2, 2010, by Dick Malnory.

Coming Soon: Geese at Hagerman NWR

Great flocks of waterfowl arrive at Hagerman Wildlife Refuge every fall from the Central Fly-way to find food, shelter and protection for the winter. Waterfowl are the Order Anderiformes, Family Anatidae. Geese are the Subfamily Anserinae. Geese are heavier and have longer necks than ducks. Their short legs are farther forward than those of ducks; an adaptation for more efficient grazing since they are terrestrial feeders.

Gaggle of Geese, by Ron M. Varley

Geese have broad, round tipped bills and feed on grains, seeds, aquatic plants and young grasses. They thrive in the wheat fields over the winter at Hagerman. The geese migration is best known for the large number of birds migrating and for the loud, noisy communities that spend the winter here.

Male and female geese look identical. They fly with deep, powerful wing beats. In November at Hagerman, listen for the noisy birds migrating and look for the V formations and long undulating lines. Some 7,500 - 10,000 geese will winter on the refuge feeding on green wheat shoots and aquatic plants. Rested and refueled, they return north along the Central Flyway to nest in the Arctic again next summer.

Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) are the most widespread geese in North America with a black head and neck, white breast and chin strap and characteristic honk, bark or cackle, but the Snow Geese are the most abundant Hagerman winter residents.  Snow Geese are smaller than Canada Geese and migrate in to Hagerman in great numbers along with even smaller Ross’s Geese (Chen rossii).  Hagerman also has some Greater White Fronted Geese (Anser albifrons),  brownish geese with  white faces and orange legs.

Greater White-fronted Geese, Ross's Goose, by Carl Hill

 Snow Geese are white with black wing tips.  Ross’s Geese, also white, and Snows are difficult to distinguish by size when in a large mixed flock.   Distinguishing marks are on the head.  Look for the shape of the head and length of the bill.  Snow Geese have a long tapered bill, with a dark line between the upper and lower bill, called a “grin patch”, and sloping foreheads.  The bill of the Ross’s  is shorter or stubbier and lacks the “grin patch”; the head is more round, with a steeper forehead.  Ross’s are becoming increasing more common winter residents and mix well with Snow Geese.

Perfect Two-point, by Bert Garcia

Hagerman provides food, rest and shelter for the migrating geese that now depend on the 300 acres of planted wheat for energy to keep warm and build up reserves for the return trip north. Providing food also keeps the birds from foraging in farmer’s fields. Historically, waste grain from agricultural fields was the primary food source for migratory geese, but more efficient harvesting leaves less food available in the field. Without Hagerman management, there would not be enough food energy to sustain the numbers of geese over wintering here in north Texas.

ED Note: Adapted from an article prepared by Helen Petre that appeared in the Featherless Flyer, November, 2009.

On December 8, 2012, Dr. Wayne Meyer's Second Saturday topic will be Winter Waterfowl, and Geese, Geese, Geese will be the topic for Second Saturday for Youth.  Both programs will include a guided trip along Wildlife Drive aboard TAPS to see the winter waterfowl at the Refuge.

AND!  Book a seat for a tour aboard the new C&E Express, on Wednesday and weekends.  Call the Refuge for reservations.

Add a New Dimension to Your Visit to Hagerman NWR

By Kathy Whaley, Refuge Manager, with photo by Chris Jennings

Calling all nature explorers! Ever see an animal track and wonder what made it? Do you like to look at birds, but don’t have a pair of binoculars? What kind of snake is that lying across the trail? Would a field guide to birds help you determine if you are looking at a Snow Goose or Ross’s Goose?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, or just enjoy digging a little deeper into the great outdoors than a ride down the wildlife drive, the Friends of Hagerman have a new tool to help you. Four backpacks have been stuffed with items including (1) field guides to birds and other species such as trees, reptiles, or amphibians, (2) laminated photos with tracks of a few species of common Refuge wildlife, (3) a note pad and pencil to write down what you found on your visit, (4) binoculars, and (5) even a hand-held, Earthmate GPS to help you find your way to new places on the Refuge!

The best part is….. these backpacks are available for you to check-out and take with you for the day FREE OF CHARGE. All you have to do is stop by the headquarters to pick it up. The only think you will need to provide is a copy of the driver’s license for the person driving the car, and a contact phone number. Come on out and explore Hagerman! There’s a whole natural world out there just waiting on you.

Headquarters at Hagerman NWR is located in a temporary office/trailer on Refuge Road, and is open Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4 pm; Saturday, 9 am - 3 pm, and Sunday, 1 - 4 pm. Holiday hours: open Dec. 24, 10 - Noon; closed Dec. 25. Open Jan. 1, 10 am - 3 pm. Visitors are welcome; please stop and sign in. Free maps, guides and brochures are available in addition to the backpacks.

For more information, please visit the official website for the Refuge, http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/hagerman/index.html and for the Friends of Hagerman, http://www.friendsofhagerman.com.

Name That Goose

Ten thousand or so geese spend the winter at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and are a popular sight for visitors to the refuge. Here are two questions frequently asked by visitors, related to the geese, and answers to help identify the various species.

“What do you mean, Snow Goose or Ross’s Goose? They all look the same to me!”

That’s true, until you start looking more closely. Ross’s Geese are smaller than Snow Geese, but the relative size can be hard to distinguish when you are looking at a flock of a thousand or more white geese. Instead, look at the shape of the head and bill.

The Ross’s head is more rounded, with a stubby bill which appears thicker at the base. The border at the base of the bill is straight and vertical.

The head of the Snow Goose is more wedge-shaped, with a longer appearing bill. There is a black line between the upper and lower mandibles, or bill, known as a “grin patch”; the base of the bill is more curved that on the Ross’s.

“Okay, but what are those dark colored geese in with ‘Snow Geese’”?

The dark colored geese with white heads are dark phase Snow Geese. These were once called the Blue Goose. They will not become white over time, but are a variation. Dark phase is rare with Ross’s Geese.

Next time you go out to see the geese, take your binoculars, or borrow some from the Refuge Headquarters, so that you can take a close look at the head and bill shape and you will find that you can identify the different species!

This week's post written by Dick Malnory.

AND - on Saturday, December 11, Dr. Wayne Meyer and Rick Cantu will give a presentation for Second Saturday on Wintering Waterfowl at Hagerman, then accompany you on a guided tour, aboard a TAPS bus, along Wildlife Drive. The bus will hold 29 passengers, so for those who are awaiting their turn, a special slide presentation of pix from the Fall 2010 Photo Safari will be shown and Derek Miller will demo use of the new handheld GPS that can be checked out at Refuge HQ for use on the Refuge.

For more information about activities at the Refuge, please check our website, http://www.friendsofhagerman.com . The official site for Hagerman NWR is http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/hagerman/index.html.