SpeciesFacts

All species › Birds › Snow Goose

Snow Goose

Anser caerulescens

Bird · family Anatidae · order Anseriformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
50 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
30 years[4]

The Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) is a bird in the duck and goose family, Anatidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure worldwide, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Snow Goose a global rank of G5 (Secure)[2]. In the United States it is ranked N5B and N5N, which means Secure for breeding birds and Secure for birds that spend the nonbreeding season here[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The USFWS database does not list it as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1]. It is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding))
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] >1,000,000 individuals

Where Snow Goose lives

NatureServe lists the Snow Goose as native in 50 US states and territories, including Alaska, California, Texas, New York, Florida and Washington[3]. State ranks vary a lot. NatureServe gives each state its own rank, and many states rank the bird for the nonbreeding season only[10]. Records on GBIF come most often from California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, which shows where people report the bird and not how many live there[11].

Alaska: native, state rank S5BAKMaine: native, state rank S3NMEWisconsin: native, state rank SNAWIVermont: native, state rank SNAVTNew Hampshire: native, state rank SNANHWashington: native, state rank S3NWAIdaho: native, state rank S5MIDMontana: native, state rank S4NMTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRMNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMMNIllinois: native, state rank SNAILMichigan: native, state rank SNRNMINew York: native, state rank SNRNNYMassachusetts: native, state rank S4NMAOregon: native, state rank S4NORNevada: native, state rank S5NNVWyoming: native, state rank SNAWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank SNASDIowa: native, state rank S5NIAIndiana: native, state rank SNAINOhio: native, state rank SNRNOHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5NPANew Jersey: native, state rank S4NNJConnecticut: native, state rank SNACTRhode Island: native, state rank SNARICalifornia: native, state rank SNRNCAUtah: native, state rank SNAUTColorado: native, state rank S4NCONebraska: native, state rank SNRNNEMissouri: native, state rank SNRN,SNRMMOKentucky: native, state rank S3NKYWest Virginia: native, state rank S2NWVVirginia: native, state rank SNRNVAMaryland: native, state rank S4NMDDelaware: native, state rank S5NDEArizona: native, state rank S3NAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S5NNMKansas: native, state rank S4NKSArkansas: native, state rank S5NARTennessee: native, state rank S4NTNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S4NNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S4SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S2NDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNRNOKLouisiana: native, state rank S5NLAMississippi: native, state rank SNAMSAlabama: native, state rank S3NALGeorgia: native, state rank S3MGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5TXFlorida: native, state rank SNRNFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (50 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS3NVulnerable (nonbreeding)
AlaskaS5BSecure (breeding)
ArizonaS3NVulnerable (nonbreeding)
ArkansasS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
CaliforniaSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
ColoradoS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
ConnecticutSNANot Applicable
DelawareS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
District of ColumbiaS2NImperiled (nonbreeding)
FloridaSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
GeorgiaS3MVulnerable (migrant)
IdahoS5MSecure (migrant)
IllinoisSNANot Applicable
IndianaSNANot Applicable
IowaS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
KansasS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
KentuckyS3NVulnerable (nonbreeding)
LouisianaS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
MaineS3NVulnerable (nonbreeding)
MarylandS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
MassachusettsS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
MichiganSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
MinnesotaSNRMNot Ranked (migrant)
MississippiSNANot Applicable
MissouriSNRN,SNRMNot Ranked (nonbreeding), Not Ranked (migrant)
MontanaS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
NebraskaSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
NevadaS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
New HampshireSNANot Applicable
New JerseyS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
New MexicoS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
New YorkSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
North CarolinaS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
North DakotaSNRMNot Ranked (migrant)
OhioSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
OklahomaSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
OregonS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
PennsylvaniaS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
Rhode IslandSNANot Applicable
South CarolinaS4Apparently Secure
South DakotaSNANot Applicable
TennesseeS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
TexasS5Secure
UtahSNANot Applicable
VermontSNANot Applicable
VirginiaSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
WashingtonS3NVulnerable (nonbreeding)
West VirginiaS2NImperiled (nonbreeding)
WisconsinSNANot Applicable
WyomingSNANot Applicable

Habitat

NatureServe records many habitat types for the Snow Goose, including tundra, grassland, cropland, herbaceous wetland, shallow water, bays and tidal flats[12]. In winter it uses freshwater and coastal wetlands, wet prairies and sandbars[13]. It also feeds in pastures and flooded fields[13]. For nesting, it chooses marshy tundra near water, often on raised ground[13]. Females tend to return to the same nest site or the one they used before[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Snow Goose is a plant eater. NatureServe records it as a herbivore and a granivore, which means it eats grains and seeds[14]. It browses on grasses and also pulls up sedges, marsh grasses and water plants to eat the stems and roots[15]. A typical bird is about 71 cm (28 in) long and weighs about 8 lb[16][17]. A female usually lays 4 to 5 eggs, and sometimes 3 to 8[18]. The female sits on the eggs for 23 to 25 days, and the young are able to fly when they are 38 to 49 days old[18]. The oldest known wild Snow Goose in US and Canadian banding records was at least 30 years 9 months old[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[16] 71 cm (28 in)
Typical adult weight[17] 3.5 kg (8 lb)
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 30 years 9 months
Food habits[14] Herbivore, Granivore
Migration[19] long-distance migrant

When to look for it

The Snow Goose is diurnal, which means it is active during the day[20]. It is a long-distance migrant[19]. It heads north in March and April and reaches its nesting areas in May or early June[21]. It flies south from August to November[21]. GBIF records in the United States are highest in January, March and December and lowest in the summer months, which fits a bird that spends winter here[22].

January: 153,880 recordsJanFebruary: 127,305 recordsFebMarch: 128,672 recordsMarApril: 56,374 recordsAprMay: 25,649 recordsMayJune: 9,395 recordsJunJuly: 5,822 recordsJulAugust: 6,024 recordsAugSeptember: 9,784 recordsSepOctober: 47,818 recordsOctNovember: 110,232 recordsNovDecember: 140,766 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[22].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January153,880
February127,305
March128,672
April56,374
May25,649
June9,395
July5,822
August6,024
September9,784
October47,818
November110,232
December140,766

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Snow Goose as present in 8 park units[23]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington[11]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Snow Goose endangered?
No. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) and it is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].
Where does the Snow Goose live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 50 US states and territories[3]. It nests on tundra and spends winter in wetlands and fields[13].
What does the Snow Goose eat?
It eats grasses, grains, sedges, marsh grasses and water plants[15]. NatureServe records it as a herbivore[14].
How big is a Snow Goose?
A typical bird is about 71 cm (28 in) long and weighs about 8 lb[16][17].
How long does a Snow Goose live?
The oldest known wild Snow Goose in banding records was at least 30 years 9 months old[4]. That is a record and not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Snow Goose is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Snow Goose: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Snow Goose as native in 50 US states and territories: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Snow Goose from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 30 years 9 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) is a bird in the family Anatidae, order Anseriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Snow Goose is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Snow Goose (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Snow Goose: California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Snow Goose: Grassland/herbaceous, Tundra, Cropland/hedgerow, Herbaceous wetland, Riparian, Shallow water, Bay/sound, River mouth/tidal river, Lagoon, Tidal flat/shore. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Snow Goose. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Herbivore, Granivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Snow Goose. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 71 cm (28 in). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 3.5 kg (8 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Snow Goose. NatureServe Explorer
  19. NatureServe migration category for Snow Goose: long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  20. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  21. NatureServe notes on migration for Snow Goose. NatureServe Explorer
  22. GBIF observation records of Snow Goose in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  23. NPSpecies park lists recording Snow Goose as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.