Salt Lake City — Utah is home to a variety of ducks and migrating geese — as well as other waterbird species — and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is hosting two separate viewing events in southern Utah this month to provide the opportunity to see and learn more about them.
Delta Snow Goose Festival
The Delta Snow Goose Festival, hosted by the Delta Chamber of Commerce, will be held Feb. 20-21 in Delta. Part of the festival includes a free snow goose viewing event, hosted by the DWR at Gunnison Bend Reservoir, west of Delta.
As many as 20,000 geese — mostly snow geese — have been at the reservoir during past festivals. In the winter, snow geese can sometimes appear completely white, except for the black tips on their wings. DWR biologists will be available both Friday and Saturday to provide information about the birds and help you find them during the viewing event.
The areas where you’ll see the geese vary, according to the time of the day. If you arrive in Delta early in the morning, you can watch the geese feeding in fields that surround the reservoir. Then, typically between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., the geese take off and fly to the reservoir. “Seeing those thousands of geese in flight makes for incredible photos,” DWR Southern Region Outreach Manager Adam Kavalunas said. “Watching and hearing the geese can take your breath away. It’s a great family activity, and we encourage you to come out and see these amazing birds in flight during the festival.” After landing on the reservoir, the geese usually spend the next few hours there. Then, sometime between 4-6 p.m., the birds typically take off again and fly back to the fields. DWR biologists will watch which fields the geese fly to. If you arrive after the geese have left the reservoir, the biologists can help direct you to the fields where the geese are feeding.
Waterbird viewing event at Jackson Flat Reservoir
The waterbird viewing event will be held Saturday, Feb. 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Jackson Flat Reservoir in Kanab. DWR biologists will be available to answer questions about the various bird species you’ll see during the event.
Ducks are typically the most commonly seen waterbirds in Utah, with over 20 species found across the state at various times of the year, including:
Dabbling duck species (often spotted in wetlands, reservoirs and marshes)
- Mallards (These birds can interbreed with many other duck species, resulting in unique hybrids.)
- Northern pintails (These birds have been known to migrate over 9,000 miles annually between their breeding and wintering grounds.)
- Gadwalls
- Northern shovelers
- Cinnamon teal
- Green-winged teal (These birds are among the smallest dabbling ducks, weighing less than 1 pound, but capable of reaching speeds up to 60 miles per hour.)
- American wigeons
Diving ducks
- Redheads
- Canvasbacks (These birds can dive more than 30 feet deep to forage for food.)
- Lesser scaup
- Ruddy ducks
- Ring-necked ducks
- Common goldeneye
- Buffleheads
Piscivorous ducks (primarily eat fish and aren’t commonly seen in Utah)
- Hooded mergansers
- Common mergansers
“In southern Utah, people are most likely to see mallards, American wigeons, northern shovelers, cinnamon teal, northern pintails and redhead duck species,” Kavalunas said. “You can also see thousands of snow geese in the Delta area when they migrate through in late January and February. Occasionally, trumpeter swans may also be spotted in southern Utah. It’s a lot of fun to see these various bird species and to learn about their characteristics so you can identify them.”
While the viewing event is free, participants are encouraged to register on Eventbrite in advance. The event will be weather dependent, and registrants will be notified if the event is canceled.
For both events, the DWR recommends a few tips and reminders for the best viewing experience:
- Bring your own binoculars or a spotting scope to better view the birds (although spotting scopes will be available on-site for the public to use).
- Please respect any private property in the area at both events. Trespassing to view any of the birds is not legal.
- Be prepared for possible cold weather by dressing in layers that will help you stay warm and dry.
- Bring a smartphone to download the eBird app, which can help you identify birds and will also allow you to participate in the Utah Birding Slam! Individuals hoping to complete any of the various bird slams during either viewing event should register in advance on the Utah Birding Slam webpage.
