I have some snow geese in the freezer that I would like to being working on. When I go to order the body and head most catalogs have both a lesser and a greater snow goose body and head. What is the difference other than size in the two? How can I tell from looking a the bird if it is a greater or lesser snow goose? Also, what body and head do most of you like to use on your flying snow geese? Thank you very much for any advise.
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.........the lesser snow goose is called a "Ross", and there are differences not only in size but the bill of the Ross is much shorter than the Snow. I have done many, and have only known them as "Snow" and "Ross" geese. You can measure the length and girth and compare this size to the mannikins you select. And if you are going to use an artifical head, be sure to order "Snow" or "Ross". Not all supply companies show the measurements, but Research does, and you can use them as a reference, or just order from them. They offer a flying or standing mannikin.
Geese do not come in the "blue" variation. IF you have an eagle head in the group... then you have lessers... Ross Geese are a completely different spieces and can be told apart not only by size, but the bill will often times be considerably warty and will carry a richer light blue coloration at the base. The large black grinning patch present on "Snow" (both greater and lesser) is only a thin line...also the base of the bill on the ross forms an almost straight line from top to bottom. Snow's are curved in this area.
The differences between Greater and Lesser aren't incredibly noticeable. There is a slight size difference, but I have seen some really large lessers as well. The bill and head shape is slightly more elongated.... The Greater is primarily an Atlantic Sub speices, and I would use the geographic area in which the bird was harvested to determine the sub specs.
Jon
Thanks for the fast responses. These geese were taken in the Atlantic flyway and are much larger than mallards, just a tad smaller than Canada geese. Thanks again.
many visible differences between lesser (chen caerulescens caerulescens) and greater snow geese (chen caerulescens atlantica). The "lesser snow goose" does in fact have a "blue form". Kind of similiar to a red fox having a silver form or a cross form. The greater snow goose does not have the blue form. The greater snow goose is slightly larger and more frequently seen on the eastern side of the US. The lesser snow goose IS NOT a Ross' goose The two are different species. The Ross' is much smaller. Ross's geese are known to hybridize with snow geese. Snow goose head size varies significantly - measure the bill length and order accordingly. good luck