Ross's Goose, a small cousin of the well-known Snow Goose, is white with black wingtips but has a shorter neck and a stubbier beak. Smaller numbers can also join massive flocks of snow geese. These gregarious ducks are capable of forming large flocks on their own. As climate change has warmed their northern breeding sites, lowering snow cover and promoting plant growth, both species have seen population expansion. As temperatures rise and the breeding areas of the two species overlap, hybridization between them appears to be occurring more frequently.
Ross's Goose Specifications
Ross's Goose ID
During the day, Ross's geese travel around looking for the finest fields or marshes for feeding, but they typically return to refuges or reservoirs to roost in the evening. A few Ross's are frequently scatted amid flocks of snow geese or other geese, even far from their usual wintering grounds. The simplest way to locate them is to carefully scan flocks with a spotting scope; watch for Ross's smaller size and shorter, more triangular, predominantly pink beak.
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