Re: [cobirds] Help with hybrid(?) goose identification

The first bird does look good for Greater White-fronted X Cackling to me. There's this one pair of Greater White-fronted X Cackling in California

that are a good reference for that hybrid(see attached image). The other two birds do look good for Snow X Cackling, probably juvenile blue morph Snows X Cackling.

Archer Silverman

Denver

On Wed, Dec 10, 2025 at 12:42 PM Mike Britten <mikebritten25@gmail.com> wrote:

Folks,

I birded at Union Reservoir near Longmont this morning. There were thousands of geese (along with 22 bald eagles looking for an easy meal). Mostly they were cackling geese but a few snow geese (including a dark morph), a couple of Ross' geese (including a dark morph bird but I'm not sure it is a pure Ross' goose?) and one greater white-fronted goose were also there.

There were also a few puzzling (to me) hybrids. I wonder if anyone has thoughts as to what these might be? Photos include in the checklist.

Mike Britten

checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S288035287

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate.
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CALVSejHN_Z2HGb31FtgZ7tbBZVZdL5QojsxSnt1AmdHHY06YWA%40mail.gmail.com.

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds
* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate.
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/membership/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAL_8wP2jFCLfiFROwZr5VX5z6-HQURyfpCs6ArPrAXSZDO3nhQ%40mail.gmail.com.