Geese are a common sight in Massachusetts, especially during migration seasons in the spring and fall. There are several species of geese that can be found in the state throughout the year or seasonally. In this article, we will explore the major goose species found in Massachusetts.
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) is the most ubiquitous and recognizable goose species in Massachusetts. These large birds have a black head and neck with white chinstrap markings. Their bodies are brownish-gray, with a paler belly. Canada Geese are found throughout the state and can be seen year-round since many have become non-migratory permanent residents of Massachusetts.
According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, there are estimated to be between 75,000 – 100,000 Canada Geese living year-round predominately in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state. Non-migratory feral populations have become very common near ponds, lakes, golf courses, and parks. Many migratory Canada Geese stopover in Massachusetts in the spring and fall as they travel to and from breeding grounds in Canada.
Habitat and Diet
Canada Geese prefer open habitats near water sources, such as wetlands, ponds, lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. They feed on aquatic plants, grasses, sedges, grains, berries, and insects. During winter, they will graze on leftover agricultural grains in fields.
Breeding and Nesting
Canada Geese breed from late March to early May in Massachusetts. They nest in a variety of sites near water, including banks, islands, and muskrat houses. The female lays 3-8 creamy white eggs and incubates them for 24-28 days while the male stands guard. By early fall, adults and goslings will migrate south for winter. However, non-migratory populations remain in Massachusetts year-round.
Snow Goose
Snow Geese (Anser caerulescens) are medium-sized white geese that visit Massachusetts seasonally on migration. They breed in the Arctic during summer but migrate through and winter predominately along the Atlantic Coast from fall through early spring. In Massachusetts, Snow Geese can be abundant during spring and fall migrations, especially along the coastline where they stopover.
These geese have bright white plumage, except for black wingtips. There are two color morphs: a white morph (commonly seen in Massachusetts) and a dark blue morph. Their legs and feet are also dark colored. They have short, thick necks and round heads compared to other goose species.
Migration in Massachusetts
From March to April, thousands of Snow Geese fly over Massachusetts as they migrate north to Arctic breeding grounds. They follow the Atlantic Flyway, stopping in open fields, marshes, lakes, and coastal habitats rich in seeds, grasses, and aquatic vegetation to feed. Prime viewing areas during spring migration include Boyleston Flats, Plum Island, and Monomoy Island.
On southbound migration from October to December, Snow Geese again pass through Massachusetts in huge flocks, congregating in staging areas like Turners Falls to rest and feed. Up to tens of thousands may be present during peak migration.
Habitat and Diet
During migration, Snow Geese frequent agricultural fields, marshes, lakeshores, and coastal habitats while traveling to and from breeding and wintering grounds. They forage on plant shoots, roots, seeds, and waste grains in these open areas by grubbing with their short necks. Their diet is almost entirely vegetarian.
Atlantic Brant
The Atlantic Brant (Branta bernicla hrota) is a small, dark coastal goose that migrates through Massachusetts during spring and fall. Their breeding grounds are in the far northern Canadian Arctic islands, and they winter along the mid-Atlantic coast from New Jersey to North Carolina.
Brant Geese are dark chocolate brown all over, except for white patches on the neck and collar area. They have black heads, short necks, and stout bodies. Their small size helps distinguish them from other dark geese species. Brant occur in saltwater habitats along the Massachusetts coastline while migrating.
Migration and Staging in Massachusetts
During the fall migration from October to December, Brant travel down the Atlantic coast, stopping to stage and feed heavily to store fat reserves for the long migration south. Prime fall staging areas in Massachusetts include Cape Cod Bay, Plymouth Harbor, and Nantucket Sound where eelgrass beds provide abundant food sources.
In the spring from early April to mid-May, Brant again pass through Massachusetts, migrating rapidly north to Arctic breeding grounds. Important stopover sites during spring migration include Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge and low saltmarsh islands in southeastern Massachusetts.
Diet and Habitat
On the Massachusetts coast, Atlantic Brant frequent saltmarshes, coastal inlets, bays, and sounds. They forage on eelgrass when available. They also graze on algae, sea lettuce, saltmarsh grasses, and seaweeds. Their diet is almost completely made up of marine aquatic vegetation.
Greater White-fronted Goose
The Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) is a medium-sized greyish goose that migrates through Massachusetts in spring and fall in small flocks. They breed in subarctic North America and winter in California, Mexico, and the southern U.S. White-fronted Geese rarely remain in Massachusetts for long, quickly passing through during migration periods.
White-fronted Geese adults have grey-brown plumage with distinctive white around the base of the bill and on the forehead. Belly feathers are whitish, providing a salt-and-pepper look. They have pinkish legs and feet and orange bills. Overall darker coloration helps distinguish them from the lighter Canada Goose.
Migration Stopovers
During the spring migration period from March to early May, Greater White-fronted Geese travel in small flocks along the Atlantic Flyway, stopping briefly to rest and feed in marshes, meadows, and agricultural fields in Massachusetts. Prime areas include cacapee Valley and Berkshire valleys.
In the fall from September to November, White-fronted Geese again pass through Massachusetts, congregating in favored staging wetlands and grasslands to feed before moving south. Important stopover locations include Hampshire County and Cape Cod.
Habitat and Diet
White-fronted Geese forage on both land and water during migration, grazing in freshwater wetlands, marshes, pastures, and agricultural croplands. They consume grasses, sedges, grains, and berries. In Massachusetts, they frequent grasslands and agricultural areas to refuel during migration.
Cackling Goose
Cackling Geese (Branta hutchinsii) are small geese, often considered a type of Canada Goose. They breed in subarctic North America and winter mainly in the Central Valley of California. Cackling Geese are rare migrants through Massachusetts, primarily during spring migration periods.
These diminutive geese look like miniature Canada Geese with short, stubby necks and round heads. They are brownish-gray with white undersides. They can be differentiated from Canadas by their very small size and short bills.
Rare Migrants
Only very small numbers of Cackling Geese pass through Massachusetts during the spring months of March to May as they migrate north to breeding grounds. They are considered accidental and infrequently observed fall migrants from October to December, with only a handful of records.
Any Cackling Geese seen would likely be alone or in the company of Canada Geese. Prime areas to spot them would be large open wetlands, lakes, or agricultural fields.
Habitat and Diet
During migration, Cackling Geese occur in wetlands, lakeshores, and agricultural grain fields, often mingling with Canada Goose flocks. They eat aquatic plants, grasses, sedges, agricultural grains, and berries. Their diet and habits are very similar to the larger Canada Goose.
Occasional and Rare Visitors
In addition to the regularly occurring goose species in Massachusetts, several other goose species show up very rarely and infrequently in the state, usually when stray individual birds become mixed in with migrating flocks of more common geese.
Barnacle Goose
The Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) is a medium-sized light grey and white goose that breeds in the far northern Arctic and winters in western Europe. Barnacle Geese are considered accidental vagrants to Massachusetts, with a handful of rare sightings of individual birds likely mixed in with migrating Canada Geese.
Pink-footed Goose
The Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) is a short-necked, bluish-grey goose that breeds in Greenland and Iceland and normally winters in northwestern Europe. They are considered casual and irregular wanderers to Massachusetts during migration periods, but with several records throughout the state, mainly on the coastline.
Ross’s Goose
Ross’s Goose (Anser rossii) is a miniature white goose that nests in the central Canadian Arctic and winters in the central U.S. and Mexico. In Massachusetts, Ross’s Goose is an occasional spring migrant, likely having migrated off-course while traveling with Snow Goose flocks. Less than 10 records exist in the state.
Emperor Goose
The Emperor Goose (Anser canagica) is a rare visitor from its northwestern Alaska and Siberian breeding grounds. In Massachusetts, there have been fewer than a dozen accepted records, but they likely occur sporadically, mixed in with flocks of migrating Canada or Snow Geese.
Mute Swan
Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) are not native waterfowl but an introduced species from Europe. Feral populations are established in parts of Massachusetts, but they are relatively uncommon compared to native goose species. They are large, all-white birds with orange bills.
Timing of Goose Migration Through Massachusetts
Different goose species pass through Massachusetts on spring and fall migration at various times throughout the year on their way to and from breeding and wintering grounds:
Goose Species | Spring Migration Period | Fall Migration Period |
Snow Goose | Early March to Mid-May | Mid-October to Early December |
Canada Goose | Late February to April | October to November |
Brant | Early April to Mid-May | October to Mid-December |
Greater White-fronted | Early March to May | Mid-September to November |
Cackling Goose | Mid-March to Early May | Irregular fall migrant |
The peak of goose concentrations in Massachusetts occurs during April and May in spring and November-December in fall as hundreds of thousands pass through on migration. However, geese like Canada Geese and Snow Geese can be found regularly throughout the winter months in some locations where birds have stopped to overwinter.
Best Places to See Geese in Massachusetts
Some key locations to spot migrating and wintering geese in Massachusetts at the right times of year include:
- Cape Cod Bay – Huge flocks of wintering and migrating waterfowl
- Nantucket Sound – Snow Geese, Brant
- Parker River National Wildlife Refuge – Snow Geese, Canada Geese
- Turners Falls – Up to 30,000 staging Snow Geese
- Boston Harbor Islands – Migrant hotspot
- Lake Chaubunagungamaug – Canada Geese, occasional rarities
- Plum Island – Snow Geese, shorebird migrations
- Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge – Brant, shorebirds
- Coastal ponds, lakes, and marshes – Canada Geese, wintering waterfowl
The best timing for seeing concentrations of geese is during spring migration from March-April and fall migration in October-November. However, some locations host geese throughout the winter.
Conclusion
Several species of geese pass through Massachusetts during annual spring and fall migration along the Atlantic Flyway. The most common goose found in the state year-round is the Canada Goose. Other species like Snow Geese, Brant, Greater White-fronted Geese, and rare Cackling Geese migrate through in smaller numbers. Coastal marshes, inland lakes, saltwater bays, and agricultural fields provide prime stopover habitat for feeding and resting. Peak numbers occur in April-May and October-December as hundreds of thousands of geese fly through Massachusetts between Arctic nesting and southern wintering grounds.