Snow Geese Fall Migration in Quebec 2025
Hundreds of thousands of snow geese cover the skies in Quebec, and you should see this phenomenon at least once in a lifetime
Best time: late September–late October
Snow geese gather in unbelievable numbers during their migrations. Whether you are a passionate nature lover or an amateur ornithologist, you'll appreciate the sight of a huge bird colony. In late September, the daily counts at the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area can exceed 50,000 birds. The fall migration season in Quebec continues through late October.
Snow geese fly as far south as Mexico and Texas to escape the cold. They show amazing endurance, flying over 600 mi (about 1000 km) without a break. A one-day-old snow goose can walk 19 mi (30 km) and fly faster than 59 mi (95 km) per hour. After winter is over, they fly back to breed at the Arctic tundra, northeastern Siberia, Canada, and Greenland.
Large flocks of snow geese can be also spotted at Lac-Saint-Pierre, banks of The Saint Lawrence River, or northern Lake Champlain. They often stay there to eat leftover corn and oats on agricultural fields.
The best time to observe a geese colony is at sunrise when many birds take off at once, starting their day.
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