Where do snow geese migrate to during the winter?

There may be more facts than you expected, but you got some extra facts!

The Lesser Snow Geese visiting the Sanctuary are part of the Wrangel Island (Pacific Flyway) nesting population. Wrangel Island lies in the Arctic Ocean, north of Siberia, and belongs to Russia. A "population" is the number of animals of the same type living in an area. Birds nesting on Wrangel Island split into two separate wintering sub-populations. One winters in California, and one winters locally.

Lesser Snow Goose Facts:

Weight: 2.5 to 2.7 kg Wingspan: 38- 46 cm Lifespan: 10 to 20 years in the wild.

Distinguishing marks: White bodies, black wing-tips, a pink bill with black markings and pink feet.

Best times to view them at the Sanctuary: mid-Oct. to mid-Dec. and mid-March to mid-April.

January 2011 Mid-winter count (Fraser River and Skagit River flocks)= 65,000 birds, with very few young of the year. 2010 was a porr nesting season with a decline in the population.

Fall 2011 forecast is for about 75,000 birds, with perhaps 25% young in the flock, but this will not be verified until the mid-winter count.