As you begin to enjoy the warming temps, keep your ears open for the high-pitched calls of migrating snow geese overhead. Snow geese are comprised of several different species including greater snow geese, lesser snow geese and Ross’s geese. Given their light coloration, size and the altitude in which they migrate, it is often easier to hear these birds than to see them in the sky. Each spring, snow geese migrate from the Gulf Coast through the Midwest on their trip back north to the Tundra to nest and raise their young. Years ago, these birds would have rarely made any headlines; however, their recent population booms have attracted a lot of attention.
Prior to 1960, snow geese populations were low (roughly 800,000 birds), mostly confined to a few small nesting colonies in the Canadian Arctic and subarctic. Today, these populations have swelled to at least 3 million birds; however, recent banding and harvest data combined with breeding ground surveys are leading many waterfowl managers to believe that there may be as many as 15 million lesser, 1.5 million Ross geese, and 1 million greaters, according to Ducks Unlimited. Changes in land use along their migration routes over the last 50+ years have proven to benefit these birds immensely. With the conversion of prairies and forests to agricultural uses, these geese have more than enough food resources to make their 3,000-mile migration an easier feat.
The increased success of these birds along their migration routes has led to massive ecological damages throughout their nesting range in the Tundra. Snow geese are grazers, and given the slow growth rate of plants in the Tundra and the fact that these birds graze for 75% of the day, they are overgrazing their nesting grounds. This overgrazing is decimating plant communities that would take several years to recover without any further disturbances. The problem is that these geese return to the same location year after year. In 1996, biologists surveying a 1,200-mile stretch of nesting habitat along Canada’s Hudson Bay concluded that 35% of nesting habitat had been destroyed, 30% was severely damaged and the remaining 35% was overgrazed. This has impacted critical nesting habitat for more than 13 other bird species and has caused alarming water quality issues from erosion of this sensitive soil.
Snow goose populations are damaging to their own species as well. As their populations continue to rise, biologists have recorded that the average body size of these birds is decreasing, parasites are becoming more widespread and gosling survival has decreased. This means these geese have a larger population of older geese and few young geese. This is significant because as age increases, their ability to combat disease decreases. In the event of a widespread disease, snow goose populations would be decimated with very few young individuals that can help the population recover. It has been considered to let nature take its course with snow geese; however, these birds are highly mobile and will colonize new areas after they have destroyed others. It also is very dangerous to other species of birds. In the event of a widespread avian disease, many more bird species other than snow geese would be impacted.
In response to concerns, many states and provinces through which these birds migrate — with the recommendation of biologists — have adopted a Light Goose Conservation Order that allows hunters to harvest these birds on their migration back north. During this additional hunting season, hunters are allowed larger bag limits and regulations are modified to improve success. The harvest data collected from these seasons is carefully monitored to ensure the season continues to positively impact the health of snow goose populations. The Light Geese Conservation Order in Iowa runs from Jan. 25 to April 15. If you would like to support conservation efforts for waterfowl and other species without hunting, there are several nonprofit agencies that focus their efforts on restoring wetlands throughout the U.S. and Canada. You can also purchase a Federal Duck Stamp annually, which provides funding for the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund.
