# Rust on Snow



## Alonzo (Feb 7, 2006)

Here is a picture of one of the two birds I shot on Monday the 28th... I really liked the intense rust staining! He had this on his head and on his chest.









Video Sharing at DropShots.com









Video Sharing at DropShots.com

Sorry about the blood spot on the neck!!!! 8)


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

The rust is minerals stains from them grubbing for roots while they are feeding.

:thumb:


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## spec101 (Mar 17, 2006)

That is pretty cool but weird


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## jb (Feb 8, 2005)

do you guys up north no get them that way? here in mo I have seen tons of them I have been told that they get that from rice fields most have some on the belly and face they come with middle to end of the migration


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

the rust coloration is from the iron in the soils they are feeding in. iron..Fe.... rust..... come on guys figure it out!!! J/k


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## 870 XPRS (Mar 12, 2003)

It's not very uncommon, we shoot many birds that are similar to that during the spring.

I am not an expert by no means an don't take me as one, but the best explaination is a bird t hat has been in the rice fields and has has been feeding such a field....the rice fields in the southern U.S. are rich in Iron.


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## jb (Feb 8, 2005)

Sounds like to me that it has been decided


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

I dont know much about SOB's but i heard thats from the iron in the rice feilds when their eating :wink:


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## eaglehead6 (Nov 6, 2005)

I have never actually seen this on any snows that i have shot , however i watched a show that was filmed in Que. Canada and almost every snow goose that was shot had this coloring on it's head and cheeks. Everyone is right it is iron that colars the bird like this, in Que. it is something that is seen often however in other parts of Canada not so much if at all. I someday would like to get one and have it stuffed it definatley adds a unique look to the white snow goose. If given the chance i ussuallly shoot the blues. You have a unique bird there good shooting.


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## Westside snows (Feb 9, 2006)

you are all correct I found this doing some research...
Snow geese in the Skagit-Fraser estuaries are dependent upon intertidal marsh vegetation dominated by three-square bulrush (Scirpus americanus). In addition, snow geese are also dependent upon diked agricultural fields, primarily using cover crops such as winter wheat and pasture areas. Recently, they have also begun using barley fields left for other wintering waterfowl. Researchers on Wrangel Island have been able to identify those birds wintering in the Skagit-Fraser areas by the red facial staining caused by minerals in the tidal marshes of these areas. This staining is missing on the birds wintering in other areas. All the snow geese I have shot out here in Washington have some staining it is quit common out here...Also I have shot a few ducks with the same type of staining on there bellys


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## Bird_Killer09 (Mar 8, 2006)

I am a taxidermist, and i have don e several geese for other people, most all of them have the staining, it will come out with rust remover during the mounting, but some people choose to leave it


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## duckslayer_10 (Feb 14, 2006)

done several geese for other people huh bird killer09 haha
:sniper: take um


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