Park Bird: SOLVED! Juvenile Greater White-Fronted Goose **PICS**

[Bleenie]

Well she is just adorable... too bad she's wild.. I just wanna cuddle ehr she's so cute!! I just find it bizarre that she was all by herself, just hanging with the Domestics, lol.

 

[katharinad]

http://www.seattleaudubon.org/birdweb/bird_details.aspx?id=57

 

[rainplace]

Hey there Bleenie. This time of year the greater white fronts are migrating through our area. Here's a poor picture of a visiting flock at the farm. Look at the goose second from the right and you'll notice that the plumage is different from the ones on the left. That is one of the juveniles. I'm so envious that you were able to get such a great picture of your visitor!

A few days ago I noticed a single juvenile greater white fronted hanging out with a flock of canadians, I'm still scratching my head over that.

 

[katharinad]

My book states that they like to hang around with canadian geese. They don't interbreed, they just hang around together.

 

[Bleenie]

I also read that they like to hang out with "mixed flocks", but then on everything i read it also stated that they have Very strong family ties and stay together for 1-2years after hatch. That is why I was confused when I couldn't find any other's around. She seemed content with the Mallards though!

She was still there yesterday. I can't wait to see some adults! their plumage is gorgeous! We had a lot of snow geese/swans(?) here last year, this time. They LOVE the produce fields that have been all cut into the dirt.. Pumpkins, cabbage, corn, yumyum!

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[sourland]

Frequently young birds will become seperated from their family flocks while migrating due to bad weather, fatigue, etc. This may have happened to her. There is a lake close to me where a snow goose returns every year with a flock of Canada geese. She appears to be mated to a Canada gander, but so far they have never returned with any young hybrids.