The Emperor Goose is a bird of the Bering Sea area, breeding in western Alaska and parts of eastern Siberia, and wintering in the Aleutian Islands. The species has always had a relatively small home range and has never been common, but numbers declined sharply throughout much of the 20th century. Populations have recovered slightly from 1980s lows, but the species still remains vulnerable to disturbance and hunting.
Habitat
Found in and around salt water at all seasons. During the summer breeding season, they are found in marshy tundra in western Alaska, but never more than 10 or 15 miles from the coastline. In winter, they are found along shorelines.Diet
During the summer breeding season, feeds mostly on grasses, sedges, roots, tubers, and fresh plant shoots. During the winter, they feed heavily on mussels and clams, as well as aquatic plants.Nesting
Nest of the Emperor Goose is a shallow depression built on a shoreline of a tundra lake. The nest is constructed with a lining of grasses and sedges, finished with a heavy layer of down. The female alone incubates the eggs, but both parents tend to the young after hatching. Young leave the nest and find their own food within a day of hatching.Song
The Emperor Goose gives a variety of low, nasal, and somewhat goose-like calls, often described as hollow honks, murmurs, and cackling notes. Compared with many geese, its voice is relatively soft and conversational, especially among family groups and feeding flocks. During courtship and social interactions, birds produce a series of muttered calls, clucks, and nasal vocalizations that help maintain contact within the flock.Migration
Migratory, but a short-distance migrant. Breeds in scattered locations in western Alaska. Wintering grounds are predominantly the Aleutian Islands. They also breed in Siberia. Stray birds have occasionally been sighted far down the Pacific Coast, with individual birds being found as far south as California in the fall.Interactive eBird Map
Click here to access an interactive eBird map of Emperor Goose sightingsSimilar Species
Snow Goose: The Emperor Goose has a distinctive white head, dark gray barred body, and orange legs, giving it a much more patterned appearance than a Snow Goose. Snow Geese are mostly white (or dark in the blue morph) and lack the finely scaled body plumage characteristic of Emperor Geese.
Ross's Goose: Ross's Geese are much smaller, with a short neck, compact body, and a small stubby bill. Emperor Geese are larger and stockier, with a white head, orange bill, and striking black-and-white barred body pattern that Ross's Geese completely lack.
