Why are there so many snow geese around in the spring?

BY DR. JESSICA HAINES

While other goose species gather in small to large flocks, snow geese gather in massive flocks that can have thousands of individuals! Snow geese spend their winters in the southern U.S.A., where they live primarily on agricultural lands. There, they form huge flocks which then migrate north in spring. These huge flocks use many places in Alberta as rest stops, where they refuel after their long flight from the south. They especially love the eastern and central parts of Alberta, where abundant wetlands and lakes give them safe spaces to stay during their migration. You can often find them feeding on agricultural fields in Alberta in such large numbers that they blanket the ground. When they take off the sound can be deafening, as thousands of these white birds swirl into the air. Eventually they leave Alberta to continue their journey north to breed on the Arctic tundra. The annual Snow Goose Festival, held in late April in Tofield, is a wonderful opportunity to witness this amazing migration event!