Have you noticed huge flocks of Snow Geese flying above or coming down for a comical landing? It's an amazing site that is occurring all around Central New York this time of year.

In the Spring, the Snow Geese gather and fly north to their breeding grounds in the Arctic Tundra. There are so many that travel together, it seems unreal. They'll stop for breaks in large open areas along the four major North American Flyways.

There were more than 400,000 Snow Geese on Cayuga Lake last week, and it stretched for over a mile long.

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Cool Facts From All About Birds:

  • Snow Geese chicks hatch with open eyes and down-covered bodies. A few days later, they can maintain a constant body temperature on their own. In the first 3 weeks, chicks may walk 50 miles with their parents to a more suitable brood-rearing area.
  • In wintering and migrating flocks that are feeding, lookouts keep an eye out for eagles and other predators. If dangers near, they call out to the rest of the flock, which may take flight.
  • Molting Snow Geese can outrun many predators.
  • Females forage up to 18 hours a day once they arrive at breeding grounds but eat little once they begin incubating the eggs.
  • The oldest Snow Goose on record, shot in Texas in 1999, was 27 and a half years old.
  • In 1916 Snow Goose hunting was canceled due to low population levels. In 1975the population recovers, and hunting was again permitted.

Snow Geese mate for life, and according to PETA, when a goose's mate dies, that bird will mourn in privacy. Some geese spend the rest of their lives as widows or widowers, refusing to mate again.

New York Snow Goose hunting season is from January 16 to April 15. The daily limit per hunter is 25 birds, with no possession limit.

Photographer Sandy Roe recently took these amazing photos of Snow Geese and graciously allowed us to share them with you.

Snow Geese in Central New York

 

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