Geese & Swans of Kansas

Birdwatchers have seen eight species of geese and swans in Kansas, both regular winter residents and rare visitors from the coasts.

In this guide, you can find out more about the appearance, best field marks, voice, distribution and occurrence, and behavior of each of these eight goose and swan species. You will also learn how to attract them for viewing or hunting purposes (when applicable) and how to distinguish them from confusingly similar species.

Along the way, you may come across terms that are unfamiliar to you. You can look them up in our birdwatching glossary.

We have organized the birds in taxonomical order. The sequence and scientific names used can be found in the “Kansas Ornithological Society Checklist of Kansas Birds.”

Are you ready to check eight more birds off your life list? Follow the links below.