Greater White-Fronted Goose

Description: Greater white-fronted geese are grayish-brown with white facial patches at the bases of their bills. They have irregular black barring on their chests and bellies with orange feet and bills. Males and females look similar. Average size: 26-31 inches. Average weight: 4 ½-7 pounds.

Science: Greater white-fronted geese breed around fresh water in northern Canada and Alaska. They migrate in early- to mid-August with few stops along the way and winter in marshes and agricultural lands in California’s central valley, the Mississippi valley, and the Gulf Coast. They eat grasses, bulrushes, rice, wheat, and corn. As greater white-fronted geese have strong family bonds, their flocks number in the thousands. Their population is increasing.

Hunting: Greater white-fronted geese are found in the same areas as Canada geese and snow geese and are usually taken incidentally. Special calls may be used, though they also respond to calls designed for other geese. The eating quality is very good: they are considered to be the mildest and best-tasting of all geese.