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Early spring adult (March), Oregon. This bird shows near maximum black below, indicating that it is an after second-year bird. This species does not acquire a definitive adult appearance until its second prebasic molt.
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Summer adult on left with presumed first-summer or second-summer bird on right (June). Alaska. This species does not display a definitive basic plumage with extensive black below until after second summer.
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Fall adult (November)
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Fall adult (November).
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Basic-plumaged adult (November)
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Late fall adult (November).
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Early spring, age uncertain (March), Oregon. The amount of black below is a bit ambiguous, seemingly too extensive for a first-spring bird, but not as extensive as it would be on a typical adult.
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Winter adult in front of first winter bird, both presumed "flavirostris" (February), Connecticut. Note the darker, grayer coloration, orange bill, and very short legs, all indicative of Greenland subspecies. Snow Goose in the background.
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Winter adult, presumed "flavirostris" (February), Connecticut. Note darker, grayer overall coloration, which is typical of the Greenland population.
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Winter adult (right) with three feeding first-winter birds, all presumed "flavirostris" (February), Connecticut. Note the darker, grayer overall plumage.
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Fall juvenile (November). Note the lack of white in face and absence of black markings belowm, along with the generally scaly appearance of both the upper and underparts, all of which indicate that this is a hatch-year bird.
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Fall hatch-year presumed (October), Oregon. Note the orangish bill, lack of white in the face, lack of black markings below, and the small rounded scapular and mantle feathers, which give hatch-year juveniles a scaly look.
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Summer, presumably a one or two-year old (June), Alaska. Note that this species does not display definitive adult plumage with extensive black markings below until after second summer.
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Early spring second-year bird (March), Oregon. In their first spring, second-year Greater White-fronted Geese have either very limited black speckling below or none at all, like this bird.
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Presumed first-summer bird (June), Alaska. Note adult-like face pattern, but almost no black markings below. This species does not show definitive adult plumage (with extensive black markings below) until after their second summer.
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Winter, first-winter presumed "flavirostris" (February), Connecticut. Much darker and grayer coloration, along with orange bill and short, sturdy legs are consistent with the Greenland subspecies.
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Fall hatch-year immatures (October), Oregon. Note the lack of white around the base of the bill and how the dark feathering is brown rather than black. Also, note the differences in the face patterns and color and pattern on the bills of these birds.
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Fall, hatch-year immature (November).
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Fall immature (November). This bird is starting to get white around the base of the bill, but the bill is still mostly orange. Also note that there is little darker feathering frame the white.
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Fall immature (November). This bird is starting to get white around the base of the bill, but the bill is still mostly orange.
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Early spring second-year bird (March), Oregon. First-winter birds acquire an adult-like face pattern during a protracted formative molt on the wintering grounds. By their first spring they have a white face framed by dark feathering. Bill is still orange.
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Early spring after second-year (March), Oregon. The combination of a pinkish bill and white face strongly framed by blackish feathering is indicative of this bird being and after second-year.
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Early spring adult (March), Oregon. Adults have mostly pink bills, with conspicuous white feathering framed by black at the base of the bill.
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Late winter age uncertain (February), Connecticut.
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Adult (left) and immature (right) in flight (November), note heavy dark speckling on belly of adult and lack of black on the underparts of the immature.
Photo Info