This survey provides an index, or measurement that is repeatable and therefore comparable from one year to the next. It is not a complete count of all birds.
Recent surveys indicate a population which is twice what managers believe is desirable.
In reality, the population may number 6 million or more birds. Data we have shows this population has grown about four percent per year during the past 10 years. Some groups are increasing at an even faster rate. Unlike Canada geese that establish relatively large territories for nesting, snow geese nest in large colonies, ranging from a few hundred to more than 100,000 birds. These colonies are generally located in the more fertile areas of the arctic - on coastal river deltas and sometimes around inland lakes.