Emperor Goose Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesEmperor Goose
Adult
Small and stocky goose with a short pink bill, clean white head, and orange legs. Body is dark silver-gray except for white tail feathers.
© Sergius Hannan / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, April 30, 2023Adult
Small stocky goose with a small pink bill and orange legs. Some adults have their white heads stained orange from feeding in iron-rich substrates. Note white tail feathers.
© Ben Lagasse / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 21, 2016Juvenile
Small stocky goose with a short bill. Juveniles have a dark bill, gray neck, dull yellow-orange legs, and show gray mottling on the head.
© Don Munson / Macaulay LibraryOregon, October 04, 2015Adult
Small goose with a small pink bill, white head, and blackish neck.
© Maurizio Ravasini / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, August 06, 1997Adult and immatures
© charles eldermire / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, January 01, 2003Not all videos have sound
Immature
In flight, the upperwing is mostly silver and contrasts with the blackish trailing edge. Note white tail feathers bracketed by dark feathers above and below.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, September 25, 2015Immature (with Greater White-fronted Goose)
Stocky goose that is similar in size to Greater White-fronted Goose (left). Body is scalloped silver and dark except for white tail feathers. Head and back of the neck are white mottled with gray—this pattern is less crisp than on an adult.
© Blair Bernson / Macaulay LibraryWashington, January 01, 2012Habitat
These geese don't migrate very far away from their breeding grounds. In winter, they gather in flocks to feed in the rocky intertidal zones along Alaska's coastline in places like Kodiak Island, the Aleutian Islands, and the Alaska Peninsula.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, December 05, 2016Immature
Immatures in their first winter look like adults but have variable dark speckling on the face and head.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 12, 1997Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesSnow Goose
Adult blue morph
Larger with a larger bill than Emperor Goose. Legs are pink (not orange).
© Simon Boivin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 07, 2017Similar SpeciesRoss's Goose
Adult blue morph
Smaller than Emperor Goose with white (not black) undertail coverts. The back of the neck is black (not white).
© Brooke Miller / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 17, 2015Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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