HARMONY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Warren County) — Birdwatchers have a rare sight to see at Merrill Creek Reservoir, where a pink-footed goose has been confirmed among a flock of migrating snow geese, officials said.
The uncommon visitor was sighted again Sunday, March 2, mixed in with the snow goose flock currently at the reservoir.
Pink-footed geese are considered rare vagrants in North America, typically appearing as a single off-course bird within larger flocks of other geese species, most often snow geese.
While snow geese are generally white — or blue-morph — with pinkish legs, the pink-footed goose is smaller and dark brown, with distinctive pink legs and a pink-banded black bill.
The species normally breeds in Greenland, Iceland and the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic. During spring migration, nearly the entire Svalbard breeding population stages in Denmark before heading north. After nesting, Greenland breeders migrate to Iceland and then on to wintering grounds in Scotland and England.
