Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) is in the Ducks, Geese, and Swans family (Anatidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 16,479 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Greater White-fronted Goose: observations by month (U.S.)
About Greater White-fronted Goose
The greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) is a species of goose related to the smaller lesser white-fronted goose (A. erythropus). It is named for the patch of white feathers bordering the base of its bill, in fact albifrons comes from the Latin albus "white" and frons" forehead ". In Europe it has been known as simply "white-fronted goose"; in North America it is known as the greater white-fronted goose (or "greater whitefront"), and this name is...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Greater White-fronted Goose by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 8,038 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Oregon | 1,123 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Texas | 777 | December | Oct–Feb |
| Washington | 772 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Alaska | 612 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Illinois | 558 | February | Nov–Mar |
| Ohio | 312 | February | Dec–Mar |
| Missouri | 232 | February | Oct–Mar |
| Alabama | 228 | January | Nov–Feb |
| Minnesota | 226 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Colorado | 222 | January | Nov–Apr |
| Kansas | 211 | February | Oct–Mar |
| Tennessee | 210 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Idaho | 185 | March | Feb–Apr |
| Louisiana | 181 | January | Oct–Feb |
| Maryland | 177 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Arizona | 175 | January | Sep–Mar |
| Michigan | 171 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Wisconsin | 168 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Arkansas | 142 | February | Oct–Feb |
| Iowa | 135 | March | Feb–Mar |
| New York | 133 | December | Nov–Mar |
| Indiana | 132 | February | Dec–Mar |
| Pennsylvania | 117 | February | Nov–Mar |
| Massachusetts | 98 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Virginia | 94 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Oklahoma | 92 | February | Oct–Feb |
| New Jersey | 80 | January | Nov–Feb |
| Nevada | 77 | February | Sep–Apr |
| Florida | 74 | January | Nov–Feb |
| North Carolina | 74 | February | Dec–Mar |
| Nebraska | 72 | March | Jan–Mar |
| North Dakota | 58 | April | Mar–May |
| South Dakota | 58 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Mississippi | 55 | December | Oct–Feb |
| New Mexico | 51 | January | Nov–Apr |
| Kentucky | 49 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Utah | 43 | November | Nov–Dec |
| Georgia | 42 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Vermont | 41 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Connecticut | 40 | January | Oct–Mar |
| West Virginia | 38 | December | Dec–Feb |
| Montana | 20 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Maine | 16 | October | Oct–Dec |
| Delaware | 15 | February | Dec–Feb |
| South Carolina | 13 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Hawaii | 12 | February | Jan–Feb |
| District of Columbia | 8 | January | Jan–Feb |
| New Hampshire | 8 | January | Dec–Jan |
| Rhode Island | 7 | February | Dec–Feb |
| Wyoming | 7 | March | Mar–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
Mallard
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Bufflehead
American Wigeon
Hooded Merganser
Ring-necked Duck
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Greater White-fronted Goose?
Nationally, January has the most observations, with the main season from October to April.
Where is Greater White-fronted Goose most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Oregon, Texas.