Greater White-Fronted Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose walking along the grass
Greater White-fronted Goose. Image by Dr. Georg Wietschorke from Pixabay
AppearanceLarge mostly brown waterbird about 25-32″ long. They have a heavy, stocky body with an orange bill and legs, white between the bill and head, and buffy underparts.
DietDiet includes plants such as grasses, berries, seeds, and grain.
Feeder FoodN/A
HabitatNear wetlands, rivers, and ponds.
NestingThe greater white-faced goose is a ground nester. The female constructs the nest on the shore of a lake or wetland area. She scrapes the ground and incorporates grass and sedge to form a large bowl-shaped nest.
Broods: 1/season
Clutch: 1-8 eggs/brood
Egg color: white – tan
Egg size: About 3.2″ x 2.1″
Incubation: Incubation lasts about 22-27 days and fledglings leave the nest after a short 2 days.
MigrationGreater white-fronted geese are migrators. In spring they migrate north into the northernmost part of Canada and Alaska to breed and raise young. Then in the fall, they head south and west for the winter.
Breeding range: Alaska, and Canada’s northern Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Winter range: Along the pacific northwest from Washington to Mexico, southeastern Texas, Louisiana, and southeastern Arkansas.

Range Map

Greater white-fronted goose range map.
Greater white-fronted goose range map. Compliments of The Cornell Lab.