Saskatchewan Hunter Safety Course

The most abundant and widely recognized goose in North America, Canada geese are often called honkers because of their call. They are often considered pests since they travel in large, numerous flocks that are often found in urban parks, golf courses, airports, back yards and farmer's fields to feed. They are one of the most popular game birds for waterfowl hunters, however their numbers are increasing every year.

The white-fronted goose has one of the largest ranges of any species of geese in the world.  Its breeding ground is found in the tundra from Nunavut westward into Siberia, and they are also found in Greenland. A sub-species is also found in northern Europe and Asia. In the United States, they are only found west of the Mississippi River.

The snow goose breeds on the arctic tundra and migrates as far south as Mexico in the winter. Since most appear all-white, inexperienced hunters might mistake them for trumpeter swans. However they are much smaller than the swan, have black-tipped wings and a pink-orange bill. The "blue morph" snow goose has a white head and front, with a dark grayish-brown body. Generally they will travel in large flocks during migration.

Ross' goose is a small white goose that is often considered a "mini-version" of the snow goose.  They also breed in the arctic and on the coast of the Georgian bay, and are most frequent in central California in the winter. However their numbers are increasing, and some now migrate down toward northern Texas and Oklahoma using the central flyway. The dark-colored "morph" ross goose is quite rare but is very similar in color to the blue-morph snow goose.