The Anser species are in general the so-called "grey" geese. This name is not really accurate when the North American geese are considered. In fact the Ansers also include white and brown geese. A better way of establishing parameters for the group might be that they have a uniform plumage coloring of the three colors recognized above. In addition their bills and legs are pink, orange, or yellow. More information can be found from the sources in the reference list at the bottom of this web page.

The True Geese of the World: The Anser Species web page and the companion True Geese of the World: The Branta Species serve as the pictorial and descriptive base for the home page of the International Goose Research Group monitored by Dr. Evan Cooch, Cornell University. Where appropriate, links have been prepared to the pages of the International Goose Research Group to provide access to their bibliographies of recent papers involving the waterfowl included on this web page. Please note that some articles because of the direction chosen will focus on more than one species.

The species/sub species of Answer geese featured on this site were residents of Waterfowl of Chenoa when photographed unless otherwise noted. By clicking on the common name of an Anser goose in the table below you will be taken immediately to the photograph of that Anser goose and to information related to it. To make a leisurely pass through the web page, scroll below the species list to the Bar-headed goose to start the excursion.

Bar-headed
Scientific Name: Anser indicus

BAR-HEADED

Look For	Light gray body, white head with two black bars on back of head
Nesting Area	Mountainous regions of central Asia north of the Himalayas
Wintering Area	Northern India, some in Burma
Nest Site	Grass or tall weeds
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of second year
When	May or June until July in the nesting area and during the same period at Chenoa
Clutch Size	3 to 6 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 28 to 30 days
Recent Papers On Bar-Headed geese Anser indicus	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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Bean: Western
Scientific Name: Anser fabilis fabilis

WESTERN BEAN

Look For	Medium size dark brown goose with orange and black bill and orange legs
Nesting Area	Northern Norway, northern Sweden, and northern Finland
Wintering Area	British Isles, southern Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, and south to the Mediterranean Sea
Nest Site	Foot of a tree or next to a fallen trunk
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	Mid-May
Clutch Size	3 to 7 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 28 days
Recent Papers On Western Bean geese Anser fabilis fabilis	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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Emperor
Scientific Name: Anser canagicus

EMPEROR

Look For	White head and rear; body feathers are gray with black and white bands
Nesting Area	Alaska from Kotzebue Sound to Yukon Delta
Wintering Area	Aleutian Islands through the Commander Islands
Nest Site	Close to water, among vegetation, a depression of grasses, down, and some feathers
Initial Nes	During spring-summer of third year
When	May or June until July in the nesting area
Clutch Size	2 to 8, usually 4 to 6 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 24 to 27 days
Recent Papers On Emperor geese Anser canagicus	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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Greylag: Eastern
Scientific Name: Anser anser rubrirostris

EASTERN GREYLAG

Look For	Large size light brown goose with pink-orange bill
Nesting Area	South-east Europe, Asia Minor and USSR from the Urals east to Manchuria
Wintering Area	North-west India, Burma, and south China
Nest Site	Depression in the ground among heather, reeds, or rushes and is lined with down or feathers
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	April-May
Clutch Size	3 to as many as 10 or 12, usually 4 to 6 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 27-28 days

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Greylag: Western
Scientific Name: Anser anser anser

WESTERN GREYLAG

Look For	Large size medium brown goose with orange bill
Nesting Area	Iceland, Scandinavia, and Finland
Wintering Area	British Isles
Nest Site	Depression in the ground among heather, reeds, or rushes and is lined with down or feathers
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	Early May in Iceland and late April in Scotland
Clutch Size	3 to as many as 10 or 12, usually 4 to 6 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 27-28 days
Recent Papers On Western Greylag geese Anser anser anser	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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Pink-footed
Scientific Name: Anser brachyrhyncus

PINK-FOOTED

Look For	Medium size brown goose with black and pink bill and pink feet and legs
Nesting Area	Spitsbergen, Greenland, and Iceland
Wintering Area	Scotland, England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium
Nest Site	Shallow depression constructed from grass, mosses, and lichens, lined with down
Initial Nest	Usually during the spring-summer of third year, but sometimes during the second
When	Early to Mid-May
Clutch Size	3 to 7, usually 4 to 5 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 28 days
Recent Papers On Pink-Footed geese Anser brachyrhyncus	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

Back To Anser List

Ross'
Scientific Name: Anser rossi

ROSS'

Look For	Small mostly white goose, short, stubby, pinkish bill
Nesting Area	South of Queen Maud Gulf and west of Hudson Bay
Wintering Area	California, Texas, and Louisiana
Nest Site	Constructed from small twigs, leaves, mosses and lined with down
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	Late May or June until July in the nesting area
Clutch Size	2 to 8, usually 4 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 21 to 23 days
Recent Papers On Ross' geese Anser rossi	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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Snow: Greater
Scientific Name: Anser caerulescens atlanticus

GREATER SNOW

Look For	White body and wings with black wing tips; males and females marked the same, slightly larger than the lesser snow
Nesting Area	Baffin Island, Ellesmere Island, Bylot Island, and Heiberg Island
Wintering Area	East coast of the United States
Nest Site	Slightly raised mound with nest constructed from nearby vegetation, with doun and feathers added when the eggs are laid
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	Early June
Clutch Size	6 or 7 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 23 to 25 days
Recent Papers On Greater Snow geese Anser caerulescens atlanticus	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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Snow: Lesser Blue
Scientific Name: Anser caerulescens caerulescens

LESSER SNOW: BLUE

Look For	Blue body with white head and neck; male and female are marked the same
Nesting Area	Northern Alaska and Canada
Wintering Area	South over most of United States
Nest Site	Grass area, sometimes A-frames; nest guarded by male and female prior to setting, by male after setting begins
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	June until July in nesting area, April until June at Chenoa
Clutch Size	3 to 5 eggs (two clutches at Chenoa at 4.5 average)
Incubation	Approximately 22 to 23 days
Recent Papers On Lesser Snow: Blue Anser caerulescens caerulescens	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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Snow: Lesser White
Scientific Name: Anser caerulescens caerulescens

LESSER SNOW: WHITE

Look For	White body and wings with black wing tips; males and females marked the same
Nesting Area	Northern Alaska and Canada
Wintering Area	South over most of United States
Nest Site	Grass area, sometimes A-frames; nest guarded by male and female prior to setting, by male after setting begins
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	June until July in nesting area, April until June at Chenoa
Clutch Size	3 to 5 eggs (two clutches at Chenoa)
Incubation	Approximately 22 to 23 days
Recent Papers On Lesser Snow: White Anser caerulescens caerulescens	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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Swan Goose
Scientific Name: Anser cygnoides

SWAN GOOSE

Look For	Varying shades of brown, top of head and neck are dark brown, under side of head and neck are light brown; males are slightly larger
Nesting Area	Southern Siberia, northern Mongolia and Sakhalin
Wintering Area	Northeastern China and Japan
Nest Site	Close to water in grass on rise; nest covered with grass as eggs are laid; nest loosely guarded by male
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	April until May in the nesting area and at Chenoa
Clutch Size	5 to 8 eggs (one clutch at Chenoa)
Incubation	Approximately 28 to 30 days
Recent Papers On Swan geese Anser cygnoides	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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White-fronted: Pacific
Scientific Name: Anser albifrons frontalis

PACIFIC WHITE-FRONTED

Look For	Medium size brown goose with white face, under side with irregular markings
Nesting Area	Arctic coast of Russia, American birds to northern Alaska, northwest Canada
Wintering Area	South to Mediterranean, Black Sea, Caspian Sea; American birds to California and central Mexico
Nest Site	A-frames, grass areas; nest guarded by male and female prior to setting, by male after setting begins
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	May or June until July in the nest area and at Chenoa
Clutch Size	4 to 7 eggs (only one clutch at Chenoa)
Incubation	Approximately 27 to 28 days
Recent Papers On Pacific White-fronted geese Anser albifrons frontalis	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

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White-fronted: Tule
Scientific Name: Anser albifrons elgasi

TULE WHITE-FRONTED

Look For	Medium size brown goose with white face, under side with irregular markings
Nesting Area
Wintering Area
Nest Site	A-frames, grass areas; nest guarded by male and female prior to setting, by male after setting begins
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	May or June until July in the nest area and at Chenoa
Clutch Size	4 to 7 eggs (only one clutch at Chenoa)
Incubation	Approximately 27 to 28 days
Recent Papers On Tule White-fronted geese Anser albifrons elgasi	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

Back To Anser List

White-fronted: Lesser
Scientific Name: Anser erythropus

LESSER WHITE-FRONTED

Look For	Medium size brown goose with white face, under side with irregular markings, yellow ring around eye (Very much like the Greater White-fronted but smaller)
Nesting Area	Northern Norway and Lapland, northern Russia and Siberia from the Kola peninsula to the Gulf of Anadyr
Wintering Area	South of the breeding range from central Europe, Hungary, eastern Mediterranean, Asia Minor
Nest Site	Nests on the ground in the vegetation
Initial Nest	During spring-summer of third year
When	End of May, but usually early/mid-June in nesting area
Clutch Size	4 to 5 eggs
Incubation	Approximately 28 days
Recent Papers On Lesser White-fronted geese Anser erythropus	International Goose Research Group Cornell University

Back To Anser List

Bellrose. Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. third edition. 1980.

Cogswell. Water Birds of California. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1977.

Earley, Chris G. Waterfowl of Eastern North America. Buffalo: Firefly Books. 2005.

Hagner, Chuck. Guide to Ducks and Geese. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stachpole Books. 2006.

Johnsgard. Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World. Lincoln: The University of Nebraska Press. 1978.

Madge, Steve and Burn, Hilary. Waterfowl: An Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1988.

Ogilive. Wild Geese. Vermillion, South Dakota: Buteo Books. 1978.

Shortt and Cartwright. Know Your Ducks and Geese. Des Moines, Iowa: Sports Afield. 1980.

Soothill and Whitehead. Wildfowl of the World. Dorset, Great Britain: Blandford Press. 1978.

Todd, Frank S. Handbook of Waterfowl Identification. Vista, California: Ibis Publishing Company, 1997.

Todd, Frank S. Natural History of the Waterfowl. Vista, California: Ibis Publishing Company, 1997.

Todd, Frank S. Waterfowl: Ducks, Geese and Swans of the World. San Diego: Sea World Press, 1979.

Walton, RichardK. North American Waterfowl - National Audubon Society Pocket Guide. New York: Chanticleer Press, Inc., 1994.

Weller, Milton W. The Island Waterfowl. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 1980.

Waterfowl of Chenoa: The Facility

Since 04/02/08

This page was placed in service initially 12/20/95 on www.utm.edu.