Blue Morph Snow Goose in flight

by Ruth Jolly

Title

Blue Morph Snow Goose in flight

Artist

Ruth Jolly

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

The Snow Goose has two color plumage morphs, white (snow) or gray/blue (blue), thus the common description as "snows" and "blues." White-morph birds are white except for black wingtips, but blue-morph geese have bluish-grey plumage replacing the white except on the head, neck, and tail tip. The immature blue phase is drab or slate-gray with little to no white on the head, neck, or belly. Both snow and blue phases have rose-red feet and legs, and pink bills with black tomia ("cutting edges"), giving them a black "grin patch." The colors are not as bright on the feet, legs, and bills of immature birds. The head can be stained rusty-brown from minerals in the soil where they feed. They are very vocal and can often be heard from more than a mile away. now Geese often nest in colonies. Nesting usually begins at the end of May or during the first few days of June, depending on snow conditions. The female selects a nest site and builds the nest on an area of high ground. The nest is a shallow depression lined with plant material and may be reused from year to year. After the female lays the first of 3 to 5 eggs, she lines the nest down. The female incubates for 22 to 25 days, and the young leave the nest within a few hours of hatching.
The young feed themselves but are protected by both parents. After 42 to 50 days they can fly, but they remain with their family until they are 2 to 3 years old. Blue morphs actually aren't blue, they just look like it. On closer inspection, their body is mostly dark gray-brown with a white head and neck. Fine Art America watermark will not appear on purchased artwork

Uploaded

May 6th, 2013

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