Population status

Greater Snow Goose
(Anser caerulescens atlanticus)

The Greater Snow Goose population has been monitored on its spring staging areas in southern Quebec since 1965. During the spring migration, the population concentrates in a smaller area than during the breeding or wintering periods, when the birds are more dispersed. The spring survey has expanded greatly since the 1960s and now covers a large territory extending form Lac Champlain (south) to Lac St. Jean (north) and from eastern Ontario (west) to Chaleur Bay (east). Five aircrafts are used simultaneously to ensure complete coverage during a one-day survey each spring. The Greater Snow Goose population experienced a rapid growth in the late 1960s, followed by a period of relative stability from 1974 to 1982. Subsequently, population growth resumed, reaching an average annual rate of increase of 9.9% between 1982 and 1999 (Reed and Calvert 2007). Growth was halted following the implementation in Canada of special conservation measures in the fall of 1998, and spring conservation harvests in 1999. Since 1998, the Greater Snow Goose population has fluctuated between 700,000 and 1 million birds in response to the implementation and effectiveness of the special conservation measures in Canada and the United States. The population appears to have decreased over the last 3 years to under one million birds, and have experienced a significant decreasing population trend of 4.5% over the last 5 years (2013-2017). The Greater Snow Goose is still above the highest acceptable level relative to its national population goal. Detailed information on the population status of waterfowl species is available in the Population Status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada report (summarized version). To obtain a copy of the full version of this report, including tables and graphs, please contact ec.scf-oismiggibiers-cws-miggamebirds.ec@canada.ca.

 

Population goal and acceptable levels of variation

Species/groupGoalLower levelUpper level
CanadaLong-term average of the time series10th percentile of observed abundance (1970-2012)Abundance that avoids human/ecological conflict

Spring Greater Snow Goose Survey

Table 1: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic areaTime PeriodAnnual TrendLimits
LowerUpper
Southern Quebec1991-20172.942.463.42
 

Lincoln Estimates of Population Size

Table 2: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic areaTime PeriodAnnual Trend Table 2 - footnote 1 Limits
LowerUpper
Continental1970-20165.63.97.2
 

References