The snow goose migrates from Arctic breeding grounds to the southern United States and Mexico. It breeds north of the tree line and moves south in autumn to spend winter in warmer parts of North America.
Snow geese breed in Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and the northeastern tip of Siberia. Their winter range stretches from southwestern British Columbia through the United States to Mexico. The journey follows a seasonal cycle: geese leave the Arctic after breeding and raising young, then return north when tundra feeding conditions improve.
The species is famous for having two colour forms. The white morph is mostly white with black wing tips, while the blue morph has a dark bluish-gray body and a white head. Despite the dramatic difference, both forms are snow geese rather than separate species.
Snow geese feed on grasses, sedges, grains, and other plant material. Large flocks can gather at stopover wetlands and agricultural fields, where their numbers may make them conspicuous. Canada geese also migrate through the United States, but they breed across a broader range and are not the Arctic-to-Mexico species described here.